


Lilies in Mandalore

by SweetButterySpaceJesus



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: AgriCorps, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Mandalorian Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obitine, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:07:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25074337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetButterySpaceJesus/pseuds/SweetButterySpaceJesus
Summary: When Obi-Wan is not chosen as Padawan by any of the temple masters, his life changes completely, but the Force has a somewhat ironic sense of humor....
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Qui-Gon Jinn & Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 10
Kudos: 108





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, I don't speak english, so if you find any mistake I'll be eternally grateful if you comment.  
> Now you can read this. ;)  
> I just realised it's not necessary to read this prologue to understand the story

  
" _No_ " Qui-Gon's voice rumbled in Obi-Wan's ears.

" _But ..._ " Kenobi was confused.  
Qui-Gon turned around as he walked to an opposite spot. Obi-Wan wanted to say something, shout, make him come back, but all he could do was jump into an abyss of darkness. He did not touch it, he did not reach it, each time Qui-Gon was further away and Obi-Wan could do nothing. In a few weeks he would be thirteen and would only be a farmer for the Jedi. But it could not be, the force kept telling him that this was not his destiny. Qui-Gon must have been wrong.   
He took the first Bandomeer transport to take him to AgriCorp headquarters to be assigned on a new task. Upon arrival at the plant, he was sent to an inhospitable area of Bandomeer to care for and restore the land. To be more forgotten. He would never be a Jedi. Jinn had stolen the opportunity.   
He pushed the thoughts, he had to start working if he wanted to complete his work, he could at least escape from that desolate rock. It was all Qui-Gon's fault, they had fought together, he had almost died and the force had united them, that same force roared that they should be together. Force claimed to be teacher and an apprentice, required them to be together. It was something Obi-Wan had learned, the force had unwittingly united them, a bond of master and apprentice that takes so long to do in the Jedi temple itself, the two of them had accomplished it in a day basis.   
Merely now he had been betrayed by the very light of hope he had. The only one. Besides, the Jedi must be wrong too. Botany was for other people, he needed action, thinking, using his wits to escape life and death situations, like in Bandomeer prison. If that situation hadn't changed his view of him, it's because Qui-Gon was stubborn. Perhaps the force had done him a favor by leaving him out of Qui-Gon's tutelage. He took one of the shoots, hateful shoot. It was a small, native plant, it had a disgusting green color and it was in a small pot. Maybe he should still let it grow, he still seemed very weak.   
He did not care, life wasn't so gentle to wait for you to be ready, he wasn't going to be either. He left the plant in the ground and with his bare hands began to dig in the ground. He took pieces of earth and threw them as far as he could. I picked up and threw, picked up and threw, picked up and threw, picked ... It would be enough. 

With his hand he grabbed the pot and with the other the stem of the plant and pulled hard. The earth made a "Plop" when it separated pot and plant. Now in his hands, at his mercy. The hand in which he held the pot dropped it to the ground, while the other held the plant like a hunting trophy. He fell to his knees as he left the plant in the center of the hole. Done, this was the big mystery of plant plants? It was an insult to his intellect.   
With both hands he threw the dirt from the sides into the hole. He got up and took another one of those plants, he repeated the process with several ignoring the sound of his stomach, for minutes he roared, but his revenge against Qui-Gon roared more. Those plants were another victim of that Jedi's ignorance.   
He would have planted about 20 - maybe - when he realized he had run out of the sprouts he had already planted. There was a different plant instead they were obtuse plants with some punches coming out of the branches. He took the earth by pulling it out. His hands full of dry, arid land, dead like everything in those lands. He ran his hand over his sweaty forehead. The movement was a little painful, dragging small stones that had hooked into his hands with his hand.   
As Obi-Wan thought, that place was disgusting outside and inside, the earth clung to your hands in search of food, nutrients, like parasites.   
With disgust Obi-Wan tried to remove the dirt.  
“We are going to finish this as soon as possible.” He commented getting up to the other type of plant.  
He hold the pot in his hands by pressing it with my fingers. He knelt before the hole where he was going to bury his next plant. He prepared his right hand, resting on the side, slowly moving it to the bottom of the container, where the plant was hiding from him. His other hand groped, looking for a place to hold on firmly. The plant was quite firm, two branches came out of the thin stem. He took control of the stem by squeezing hard, so that the plant did not slip out of his hand and ended up breaking the branches. All set, when he went to throw his left hand howled in pain. He had to get her off the floor.  
“ _Ah”_ He exclaimed surprised by the sudden pain.  
He looked at his hand, he had nothing, but nevertheless, he had hurt himself. Perhaps the earth stumbles had wreaked havoc on his palm and had simply brushed against a sensitive spot. He returned to the plant, once again the same pain seized his hand. He ignored it and started pulling. The pain only increased. He pulled harder, but the plant didn't come out of the container. More force and did not come out. More. More. More. More. The plant seemed to be tied in that place. He moved his fingers, accommodating his hand.

“ _What in the force happening?_ ” The young man muttered.

He pulled again, using as much force as possible. It was then that he noticed how teeth were digging painfully through his hand. A small stream of blood ran down the plant, crashed to the ground, the plant. Disgusted, he looked at the plant lying on the ground, still in its own pot. It seemed that everything on that planet was made to kill him.  
He took his injured hand reviewing the mess. He hadn't gotten too deep, just a little bacta would heal him, or so the temple had taught him that. He realized, in his moment of clarity, that he hadn’t entered his new house, his non-stop working made hif forgot were he was. His rage...Leaving the plants behind, he took his few belongings in a kind of tumult of clothes he used as a backpack, and entered the shack entering the access code that had subsequently been given to him. The door opened vertically leaving a trail of dust as it went up.   
Obi-Wan could feel his fury subside slightly as he surveyed the place a little. Going inside had an entrance which had three paths. The electricity seemed to be gone - nice - he should find the generator. He used his practice lightsaber to give it some light. The house was tucked inside an abandoned mining power station, perfect for summers but surely freezing for the coldest seasons on the planet. It wasn’t like the Jedi Temple, the material on the walls was torn in some parts, completely randomly, although in some blue features of the mineral that had previously inhabited there could be found. The passageway led to a rounded room which had the door jammed halfway up.  
Obi-Wan passed by lowering his head, it was a place of communications, although with the new beta of Ionite he doubted that it would work. He walked around the room surrounding the holographic apparatus until he reached a kind of box. It had to be the place of the generator. He put his saber in the opposite hand and opened the drawer. At least the generator seemed to be in good shape. The lights made their way through the shack. Obi-Wan hoped he had enough willpower to withstand the time he had to spend there on that hateful parched planet. If no plant grew there it was because even they didn’t want to be in such an evil place. Obi-Wan himself repudiated that place, he had suffered what it was to be a slave, on that mining platform next to Guerra and he had enough with that to know that this place was not a good thing.   
The communicator was glowing - He had a message - He pressed the button as he deactivated the saber. In that space a humanoid appeared, definitely a Jedi, Obi-Wan could deduce from the clothes. He clenched his fists tightly trying not to hurt himself more than he already had.

" _Welcome Jedi, before you start- it's -it's working_ " bad connection as Obi-Wan supposed " _We wish-we-let's give you a little extra instruction in your hard work in helping to repopulate planets. Inside this device you will find everything you need to know about caring for the planet's species, and the information necessary to spend your days here"_ Obi-Wan felt disgusted, they had simply given him a common guide for that planet, they didn't even know its name _._ " _Obviously, we will provide a required amount of credits so you can find necessary resources, although it shouldn't be any- no- no-"_ the hologram was cut " _so that's it, remember, trust the force and everything will be fine. That the force be with you_ "Then the hologram went off.

" _Oh, Fantastic ..._ " Obi-Wan murmured, squeezing his temples slightly with his fingers.  
His hand traveled to her chin, settling firmly as he thought about the first step of his boring life as a farmer. Taking he things, he returned through the passageway to the entrance, this time taking the main path. The path led to a large room, bed and kitchen in the same room, despite this the bed was separated, halfway from the kitchen with a rocky wall, not finished polishing. The room was tidy, on the right side, the kitchen and on the left the bed on the floor covered with that disastrous wall that only covered half the kitchen in terms of length and height, did not reach the ceiling. In the center, a table that came out of the ground, round, without legs, a stone.   
Obi-Wan left his things on the table and then sat down on the bed, it threw dust when Obi-Wan let himself drop on it. Your new home. He completely let himself rest on the scruffy bed. He would have to get used to it.

Weeks passed for Obi-Wan and nothing in that damn place grew. No life could be created, he had given up long ago, now all he could do was watch those plants die.   
A feeling got into his head, if he was not able to plant, to grow life, what would happen? Would it be sent to Coruscant? Again without a firm destiny? It shouldn't be that difficult to get these blissful things planted. No, for a Jedi like him growing an insignificant plant should be easier than that. Besides, the house moved by itself, it was not an illusion, something there moved things and it was not Obi-Wan.  
Obi-Wan approached the lands and for the first time observed the terrain. He bent down to the ground, with his hand he took the stem of a fainted plant. It didn't seem like it could regrow there. He touched the earth with his fingers, it was dry, maybe that was it. He got up and took the completely rudimentary bucket from the well.   
The place was certainly peculiar, Obi-Wan had to accept that it was just a mountain in the middle of a place that before - it was supposed - was a meadow. He took the bucket of water from the well and watered the plants he had planted. After providing the water he placed his hand on his chin. There had to be something more. His mind snapped, they had given him some kind of manual.   
His body moved quickly to the holoprojection room so he could read the different types that were there. The main objective was to grow grass but also diverse plants on the planet. Based on what you read, those plants should grow easily. Irritation stung in his eyes. Unless it was true: Bandomeer is a completely dead planet, life cannot grow there.   
If he only managed to grow a single plant, perhaps, just perhaps, he could be promoted, after all he was a Jedi, he still had a chance to return to Coruscant, he just had to grow a miserable plant. He took the path to the other room, a path that should lead to the bowels of the mine but that turned aside to another room which had put a glass in the ceiling that let the light pass, there he kept most of the plants, seeds...   
Also he had suspicions that it was an old project abandoned by the previous resident, it was full of some vines that had grown at ease in recent years. If it weren't for the small supplies that had leaked out of the kitchen cabinets, Obi-Wan would deny the existence of such resident. Maybe he was there, he was the one moving things. But no, it was not possible, a jedi cannot just hide like that. So the Jedi. This Jedi who he didn’t know nothing about. Surely that the mysterious Jedi had abandoned the job given by the order and had fled from this rock. Where would he be now? In outer space, Dantooine, Hosnian Prime... The possibilities of a vast galaxy, so vast that no one could ever hold it in their hands. Or maybe he was just a Jedi Master who spent his last days cultivating those plants, Obi-Wan had heard stories, explanations from the temple masters in which they explained how Jedi Masters retired to work here, although everyone considered it myths, you must be crazy to leave a life as a Jedi knight. Protecting peace, doing good and changing the galaxy.   
Obi-Wan took those fantasies and dropped to the wall hugging himself, his eyes smashed to the floor. To die there, no one would know anything. No one would know of its existence, no future, no change in the galaxy. They had banished him there to be forgotten, all because of his own defects. He always believed to be a great promise, to be a Jedi. Although the years passed, the force told him that he would change the galaxy, that someone would come, that it was not the last chance, even when Jinn told him No, the force pushed him to continue insisting.  
He closed his eyes thinking about his life. No one, his future was monotonous, empty, he would never be a Jedi. The wave of sadness washed over his thoughts, it had always been there, the thought. The concept.

“ _I'm a mess…_ ” his lips moved delicately . 

He held his tears in his eyes, holding them, he didn't want to cry. He wasn’t able to grow some plants. Obviously, he could never defend himself. A small tear fell on his cheek.   
The force contracted around him. A small murmur grew up from this before Obi-Wan could surrender, sinking him into a warm comforting sensation and Obi-Wan let go of his feelings by letting them flow in force. Maybe he had cried for hours. His thoughts were clearer now, but his body and mind were tired of this whirlwind. He had thought of the temple, Quilan, Bant, his now Padawan friends, also the order, the code, the force. Not that there was no force on that planet but its presence was different, as if it were from a different specimen of force. That was pretty weird like everything in there. But at least now he knew he was not alone, the force was there with him and it would be his most faithful confessional. He looked for somewhere to hold on and get up. Slowly, without haste, he traced the place again with one hand going through his right eye to erase any evidence of his little mental breakdown. His mind could more clearly distinguish something that was not a plant nor was it the rock on the wall, it was trapped in the plant.   
He walked, hesitant at first but fearless. Reaching for the object, it looked like a backpack of some sort of leather material, though the first thing Obi-Wan realized was that the backpack was full and heavy. He carried the backpack to the living, sleeping and cooking room leaving it on the table. It must have been from the previous member of the Agricorps. Temptation filled Obi-Wan. He opened the pack. Out of it came a frightened animal. He stared for a few seconds at Obi-Wan, who was sitting on the ground. It seemed to have awakened the animal.

  
“ _Hello, little one_ ” He spoke in a calm voice.

The animal glanced frantically back and forth, then leapt at Obi-Wan's face, its tiny legs attacking the young brown man. Obi-Wan tried to scream, suffocated by the animal's fur, and with his hand he reached for the creature's hide. At the touch of the hand the savage ran. An angry Obi-Wan Kenobi rose to scold the animal.

“ _Hey! You...!_ ” he paused as he saw the creature shivering among the sheets of his bed. He was just scared.

Obi-Wan relaxed, creeping closer, curious. The creature retreated to the wall. Alternatively, Obi-Wan bent down in front of the animal, which was beginning to feel threatened.

“ _Be calm, I will not harm you. Come out of there, don't be afraid little friend._ ” He held out his hand.

The creature was still shaking, but seemed to calm down. Slowly it looked at Obi-Wan, twisting its head in confusion.

“ _Stay here for a moment_ ," Obi-Wan said, standing up.

The creature was frightened by the act again but did not run this time. Kenobi returned with a small bar, a meal ration, probably military. He offered it to the animal, his idea worked. The creature approached after a few seconds in search of food. Obi-Wan took the opportunity to grab it with his free hand, holding it against his side. The animal twisted and tried to escape.  
The boy sat down on the table, leaving the creature between his legs and offering it food again so that it wouldn't run away.

“ _How did you end up here?_ ” obi-wan asked. “ _It isn’t a common place._ ”

He stroked the fur with his other hand, and it was clear that the animal didn’t trust him yet, and was trying to avoid any contact it might have with the boy.

 _“I am sorry, but I fear we are trapped together.”_

She looked up at him, making an odd face at his words, turning her face away in that funny way. Obi-Wan smiled slightly.

“ _Let us see what else you have been keeping from me._ ” 

  
He opened the backpack again, noticing how the position of the animal changed to direct attention to the object. He turned the object over in his hands, letting things fall from within. Obi-Wan's mind stopped working for a few seconds. It couldn’t be true what his eyes were seeing. It was a lightsaber and a datapad. His mind blocked until he noticed the animal walking into the empty pack. His hand tried to reach for the lightsaber, but no, it was not correct, he felt very violent, something as intimate as a lightsaber. He went looking for something in the right part of his hair but it was not there, something was missing. That feeling of emptiness when he went to reach the place where his padawan braid would be.   
He shook his head. He had to be on the here and now.

And so he did, the years passed for Obi-Wan. He grew up, matured, and slowly opened up. He accepted the planet and one day that lightsaber called him. That lightsaber chose him. Little by little Obi-Wan discovered the secrets of the living force and how to use it in his daily life, in the field which on his birthday was brimming with life and was completely independent of his care. Although he had to accept that the credit was not entirely his own. The datapad was a diary of a Jedi who had been there before him. Obi-Wan had devoured such a datapad, learning every kata it described, laughing at its adventures, living the diplomatic missions, using its lessons for his day-to-day life, until it was over. Then he realized it, he had become a padawan inadvertently of that anonymous Jedi. He had found peace. The truth is that he had gotten used to feeling life, each individual. Nobody could take away the pride of seeing that every day small lives, flowers, plants were born in that land that was once sterile. His connection to the force had never been stronger and his only loyalty was to life. He had grown fond of that place, but his work there was over.  
He walked up to one of the plants, it was as high as his hips. His hand passed through one of the leaves.

“ _This is our farewell_.” He spoke to her serenely, connecting with the force.

After taking care one last time of his plants, he went back into his home, going over with his hands the corners he had explored during those years and the small greenhouse he had created, full of life and colorful flowers that had bloomed with the arrival of the spring season, refreshing. He smiled at the plants. With nothing more to say he returned to the main room where he gathered his things, new acquisitions and old.

“ _Come on, Altar_ ," he turned to a Tooka who was walking between his legs purring.

Obi-Wan never asked himself how or why this Tooka had appeared there, after all, the Tookas had followed the example of the humanoids and they had scattered all over the galaxy. Surely the Jedi, his master, brought her here. The Tooka climbed to the table and stood on the bag-shaped backpack the one he had found her years ago, now at least her fur had been reduced and the chestnut wave pattern could be seen in her orange fur.  
He placed both bags on her back and stood to watch, for the last time, the coarse meadow that was the child of his own strength.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things about this little introduction I wanted to name Tooka Cody, but in the end I chose Altar because, why not, it sounds good.  
> I hope you like this idea and well, let's start this little jurney.  
> As always Kudos and comments appreciated.


	2. Old memories and new futures

Qui-Gon's day started like every other day. He got up in his apartment alone, then he made a cup of tea, manually, as he used to do. In Qui-Gon's opinion that was the best way to make the brew. It maintained the original flavor of the tea while not concentrating it enough for the taste to flood all your mouth.  
In his hands he held the still-warm cup of tea. Only a small ray of light passed through the window of the room. A good time to meditate and sort out your thoughts, even though he wasn’t in his favourite place of meditation, he could use a little moment of clarity. The thumb of his hand passed over the cup, caressing it, drawing the form of the edges.  
He stared at the liquid which was completely still. He brought the cup to his lips, drank some tea, allowed his mind to wander through his thoughts, mentally preparing his schedule for today: First a short walk in the temple to his place of meditation, a few hours of meditation and then going to the dojo to practice or teach, only force would dictate what the destination of those actions was.  
He had spent too much time away from the council's missions, he knew the council patience was starting to run out, He was just seeking peace after the torrid end with the forbidden person. Not long ago Qui-Gon could not even speak of Xánatos, for a time he even stopped drinking tea because it reminded of him. The council and yoda, however, had given him time to recover, although this had been quite extended after having to rescue Thal, without permission from the council of course. He had to turn the page, Xánatos was no longer part of his life, the force had taken care of it. What he once was or what he might have been no longer mattered and Qui-Gon's wound had long since been closed, now he merely reminded himself of his apprentice as his self-punishment for not knowing how to guide him.   
He had wondered if he would ever have the guts to choose a student again, as Yoda had insisted him to do.   
His memory returned to Bandomeer, what was the name of that boy who had helped him? He did not remember it well, he remembered his red hair degraded into a sandy chestnut with the typical temple cut. He had great potential, he doubted that he could find someone like him in the temple, but no, Qui-Gon couldn’t compare the new initiates to a boy who had been sent to the AgriCorps, a boy he had known for only two days.  
He took another sip from his cup and continued to think until the tea was finished. After that he got up and left the cup to go out of the “apartment”. He walked down the main hallway taking the elevators up to the levels of the meditation balconies. There he sought a place alone, watching the young people running around the place, enjoying the moment and the peace. As he made his way, he saw out of the corner of his eye a young man with red hair, once again reminding him of the boy from Bandomeer.  
He took a quiet place and sat down, crossing his legs and his hands on his knees. He let the force flow through him. The stream of force, flowing through the temple, in tranquility and complete balance. The waters of the force flowing all over the place being concentrated and expelled by the living beings. The plants in the gardens that were pointing their attention to a being, a user of the force that Qui-Gon did not know how to distinguish.  
He merged into the force by sinking his being into the force. The force embraced him in its warm presence seeking peace, serenity and balance. He spent a few minutes in that trance-like state. He looked for thoughts to sort out yet found his head empty, except for one person. Thal.  
Qui-Gon's companion in his last experience had made him wonder about many things in his life and relationships. He loved her, that was obvious, and she loved him. Everything had been revealed in their last meeting where he almost lost her. Words that terrified Qui-Gon, as a Jedi he must be prepared for the loss of one of his companions, but Thal, he could not afford to lose her, not after Xánatos, he had no family but her in the temple. It was true that he knew other masters, but it wasn’t the same as thinking about losing Thal. Such thoughts were forbidden here, forbidden by the code, and Qui-Gon had experienced the consequences firsthand. He almost fell to the dark side. On that mission the fine line of darkness and light faded, he was filled with rage, fear, suffering. Nothing mattered, not even the lives of those who stood in the way. Even for a master like him the dark side was so subtle and so seductive. He had resisted that time, but perhaps the next time it would not be so easy. Now he knew what he was like and how he acted, there would be no next time, he assured himself. If this experience had happened, it was because of the will of the force. And his will had shown that Qui-Gon had to stay on the light side. He stayed a few more minutes there in the waters of force, allowing himself to rest his mind.  
He opened his eyes again.  
With his energy restored after the ever-revitalizing meditation, he rose. Making his way back into the passages of the temple. But he was stopped by a figure that anyone would recognize. Master yoda had appeared in the passage and was heading toward him.

 _“Good morning, Master Yoda.”_ Qui-Gon received him.

  
_“Good morning, Master Qui-Gon,_ " said the old master, " _Come to do some meditation have you?”_

He nodded calmly as he finished approaching the great master.

  
“ _Hmmm... The gardens your favorite have always been, seeing you here strange is_ " said Yoda.

  
“ _Today I wanted to do a more intensive meditation._ ” Qui-Gon excused himself.

  
_“Meditating on the council's proposal have you been?_ ” They began to walk down the corridor of the temple, slowly.

“ _There is nothing to meditate upon,_ " said Qui-Gon in an icy voice. " _I refuse to take an apprentice to guide him to the same fate as... as Xánatos_ ”

“ _What sort of a Jedi Master do you intend to be if no apprentice you have?_ ” Yoda reflected " _From the past you must detach yourself , concentrate on the here and now where your head has never been. Always in the past and in the future It was._ ”

Qui-Gon remained silent, years had passed, enough time for him to accept his failures and learn, but somehow the force threw him into the past as if there was an action to be taken but it never happened because of him.

“About the will of the force you talk a lot, but you've never learned the moral of it.” Yoda took one look at him and kept walking beside him. “How much longer do you wait to play the bum? hmm... long time out of Jedi service you've been.”

“That's in the hands of the council.” Qui-Gon replied.  
“The will of a Jedi Council has no power over.” Yoda stood at the end of the passage, both hands on his cane.  
“I hadn’t said that I do not wish to go on such missions.” Qui-Gon answered.  
“And yet your own acts contradict you they do, In the dojo I suppose I will find you.” Yoda finished the discussion.

“ _That was my idea for today_.” Qui-Gon wrapped his hands in the sleeves of his robe.

  
“ _Idea for all your days that is._ ” Yoda made a small laugh after that affirmation. “ _Attention to your communicator you should be, to a mission the council will send you sooner than you wait.”_

The Grand Master disappeared from Qui-Gon's side, making his own way. Yoda had been patient with him and had forced him to go to the classes of the initiates to see if he would take on another apprentice. Living in the here and now, he had told him, ironically, not long ago he would have said that he was the most observant of the present in all the temple, but now the past was what haunted him most. It seemed that he would finally be back on his feet after all the misfortunes of the past few years, or at least that was what Yoda had implied in the most Yoda-way possible.  
This time there was a bit more traffic in the hallways when Qui-Gon arrived, passing several padawans and Masters he knew, nodding to them and continuing his journey to the dojo.  
Ataru was one of the ways he connected with the force, it was a fluid form, constantly moving offensively and unpredictably.  
He found an empty practice place, the place that no one wanted because it was next to the younglings, it was always empty. Qui-Gon took his lightsaber, activating it as he moved into the initial battle position. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the position of his hand and the direction of his sword. He began with a wide horizontal movement that he repeated like a mirror from side to side. Ataru used to be an acrobatic form but Qui-Gon had learned a variant without so many jumps, flips, and verticals. Instead he had replaced the acrobatics with elements of body combat. He began to let the saber rotate on his wrist. Making a defense as well as an offense.  
During his stay some initiates approached to watch the master train, curious about his technique. Qui-Gon finished one last Kata to watch the spectators. One of the initiates, a blue-green twi'lek said:

“ _Woah, that's Ataru, right?_ ” The boy asked, he must have been about nine years old. Qui-Gon nodded about to speak when another of the initiates exclaimed.

  
_“Can you teach us?”_ A Mirialan Asked.

“ _I can do a little introduction_ ” Qui-Gon looked at the new generation and continued, " _The strongest defense is a swift and decisive offense_.” The words left his mouth as if they were someone else's, a person he did not know.

* * *

  
The nerves were making Obi-Wan's knees shake, it had been maybe five years since he had set foot in the Jedi Temple. He was still a youngling who thought that one day he would be a Jedi knight, and now he was stepping into the same place as a Jedi from head to toe, a Jedi farmer, but a Jedi all the same. Before entering the temple, he took time to observe the entrance. There was little flow of people because the transport had arrived in the early hours of the morning. It was not until a few hours later that the entrance was filled with movement. Those small details and memories of the temple, he did not know if he had missed them or preferred that they remain forgotten.  
He hadn’t thought until now when reality hit him, his hairstyle, his appearance, himself there, back in the temple. In Bandomeer it did not matter if you had a beard, were tall or not human, everyone was involved in their own business, mining, sales...for Bandomeer he was only another common person. Not a jedi.  
His hand reached out to the braid he had grown, at first as a memory of the temple, but then to honor the Jedi master who had once been in his place, documenting his stay and training. A symbol of his effort, sweat, tears and blood sometimes. Her hair was nearly long, growing to below her jaw, with each strand varying in size. His face was stained with a few hairs on his chin and jaw, not enough to create a fluffy beard despite Obi-Wan's attempts. He took his little mane and placed it in a ribbon, improvising, the ponytail had small locks of hair falling out like the typical padawan style, with his braid surrounding the ponytail until he could not go back around the tail letting the tip of the braid fall freely on the right side. Wrapped in stained and worn-out clothes, he wore a dark brown tunic which he had not changed in previous years and which was short, almost at waist level.  
Altar moved inside his luggage. Normally he slept through the day, but the place seemed to disturb him.

  
“ _Quiet..._ " Obi-Wan muttered, opening his mind.

Obi-Wan was dazed by the overflow of the force, his own mind collapsing of all the information that the living force was giving to him. There were too many people, too many plants, too much life, more death than he was used to. Bandomeer was no Coruscant. His right hand reached to his forehead trying to soothe the small headache. It would be better to keep his mind quiet until he was used to the great activity of the planet.  
He took a breath and released it, taking deep breaths to dissipate the nerves. He began to walk into the temple, not yet into the true essence, high ceilings as in all the architecture that made anyone feel like a speck of dust in the middle of space. The great plan prepared by the force. He went a little further until he reached one of the passages of the temple and began to find padawans accompanying their teachers. Obi-Wan could not help but have a small smile on his face, it had been a long time but it was a home for him, another place to be safe. But his presence did not go unnoticed, some eyes resting on him as he passed. Obi-Wan could sense it, not malicious actions but they made Obi-Wan feel uncomfortable, as if he didn’t belong there, like a stranger in his own family. It was a small voice telling him that he was not a Jedi, only a farmer. He looked down, his right hand searching for his braid. Remembering that it was no longer there, he lifted his head again. He still had plenty of time before going to the reassignment tower. There were many places in his head where he wished to go, the gardens especially, opening up to the living force in that place must be a true experience, valuing things he had never valued as an insignificant plant. He took a deep breath, opening his mind again to the force - this time prepared for the stifling whirlwind of sensations - he must admit that the force in the temple was indeed particular. Taking enough confidence he let the force guide him through the temple, following his will he took the path to the turbolift and marked the level where he wished to go. But before the doors closed a Kiffar entered the place muttering something that Obi-Wan did not fully understand.

  
“ _Ah...I hate to get up early._ " commented the Kiffar passing his hand over his face in a somewhat comical way, he must have been almost the same age as Obi-Wan. Black hair still growing from the padawan cut. Maybe a couple of months since he was knighted.

Their eyes crossed, without realizing it Obi-Wan had been watching the young Jedi, immediately he lowered his gaze to the ground and made as if he had never looked at the boy. There was silence for a few seconds then the young man spoke.

 _“Hey, I haven't seen you around much, but your face looks familiar…_ ” The Kiffar said.

  
_“I have a normal face I suppose._ ” Obi-Wan looked up to find the Kiffar looking at him, up close, very close.

“ _Perhaps, but... Are you sure we've never crossed paths? perhaps we should do it more often._ ” He commented with a playful smile.

 _“I, uh... Th-this is my stop._ ” He could feel his cheeks starting to turn red.

The elevator stopped just in time, the embarrassed Obi-Wan made his way out of the turbolift. Again in one of the great passages, he walked, he was in the room of the Thousand Fountains. A place full of plants, padawans and, well, fountains. The place was full of life, just the view Obi-Wan was delighted. He took a step forward and a large lake stretched out in the room with water falling from a fountain at the end of the room, the lake surrounded by grass and trees intertwining as they grew. All the place revitalizing Obi-Wan’s senses. He noticed Altar moving once more on his back.

“ _Wait a moment, don’t be impatient_ " Obi-Wan whispered to the Tooka.

He hurried across the place in search of a specific spot, hoping it would still be there. Some jungle vines were falling from the branch of a tree with their roots a bit out. With his hands he opened the vines and passed through them and in front of him he met one of his memories from when he was a youngling. A small place surrounded by undergrowth and protected which shared a pool of the lake which passed through a kind of bridge overpopulated by plants. Sitting on the ground Altar jumped from the place where he had been sleeping. The Tooka looked at him with an expression, which Obi-Wan could deduce, she was angry.

“ _Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't expect the trip to be this long_.” Obi-Wan raised his hands in innocence.

The Tooka looked at him for a moment and then seconds later moved her head away as if she was offended.  
_“Don't be like that._ ” Obi-Wan sighed as he sat on the floor.

The Tooka refused to look at him, raising her head with her eyes closed and walking in small jumps until she left some distance.  
Obi-Wan let his lightweight luggage fall to the ground and then stretched his arms out letting the stretch pass behind him and relaxing. His body fell to the grass closing his eyes, stretching out his arm and looking for the Tooka caressing the most sensitive part of the animal under her chin, he knew she couldn’t resist no matter how much she wanted to avoid it. Just as Obi-Wan thought, Altar soon walked to his chest, huddling there waiting for more attention. The animal stretched out, noticing the vibrations of the purr on his chest, Obi-Wan's hand settled on his head slowly stroking the coat - freshly washed - in small patterns.

“ _Do you think I should try to grow a beard again?_ ” He asked at the animal. _“I don't know if I can make it grow more but…_ ”

He took his other hand to his chin, rubbing his little facial hair with his fingers gently. But it was too late, the Tooka was already bewitched by his caresses. It was something he had discovered, once you began to caress her the world ceased to exist for Altar. Taking a moment, he began to take deep breaths, opening himself up to the living force. In a perfect balance the force flowed through the place, so many people came to meditate there. Right now this was one of his favorite places in the temple, he had learned to value and find details that many Jedi would overlook. Looking back, he remembered his entire journey, the path he had taken to get here. In the end it turned out that Bandomeer was not as bad as he had first thought. His left hand touched a few blades of grass, channeling the force, those small whispers rising through the murmur of the other creatures. Listening to the needs of the grass, Obi-Wan used his fingers to place one finger in the earth and channel the force, using his body as an intermediary a small blade grew there. No one would know the difference but he would know, there is other life there.  
He straightened his position by sitting down, opening his eyes and taking the Tooka in his arms. The Tooka looked at him, passing his head across his neck.

“ _I used to come here with a friend of mine, his name was Bant Eerin, I don't think you've ever seen a Mon Calamari._ ” He looked down at the animal. “ _But sometimes we came here to take a bath, when no one was here, it was fun.”_ He stirred up the animal's hair and said _"I promise you, this is the last time you'll ever get in the bag.”_

Tooka made a small cat-like sound of indifference and walked into the bag. Obi-Wan got up energetically, he put his bag back on his back and stepped out of the little paradise.  
He made his way to the passageway that connected the five towers of the temple. He vaguely remembered the map of the temple, but he had definitely lost his way. He had never been in that passageway personally, they had sent a messenger when he was given the news of the Agricorps so right now he felt like a youngling on his first excursion to the temple. Lost and confused. With his right hand he reached for his braid, his eyes scanning the passages from side to side, he took the tip of his braid in his fingers, playing with it.   
It seemed that he had reached the end of the passage with an entrance to one of the towers. Now he only had to discover which tower he had found. He took a breath and slowly pushed it out trying to get rid of his nerves. Detaching his right hand from the braid he reached for the access panel, retracting it just before touching the button. No, he could not do that, he turned his back to the access door, sure, he could find someone to guide him, just thinking that he could face the entire Jedi council... It was an image he definitely did not want in his memory. All those judging eyes looking at a little lost farmer. He sighed scanning the hallway.  
The corridors were occupied - only - by the light from the windows. His thoughts faded as the door behind his back opened. Kriff. His hand grabbed his braid, he didn't know whether to turn around or continue walking as if he knew where he was going. He started to walk but was stopped by a little giggle, coming from behind him.

“ _A lot of time has passed, Jedi Kenobi._ ” The voice Yoda said.

“ _Master Yoda_ ” He quickly turned to bow to the Jedi. Yoda moved a little closer to the young man. 

_“All this time in Bandomeer made you forget about the temple has?_ ” He chuckled again.

“ _Well... I- I_ ” He could feel his shame beginning to show in his cheeks.

“ _worry you must not, guide you I can._ ” Yoda offered starting to walk.

“ _I have to go to the reassignment tower_ " Obi-Wan said, following his lead.

“ _In trouble I hope you are not_ " the Master hesitated.

“ _No, no, it's something else…_ ” Obi-Wan left in the air.

Yoda had always been kind to him, patient, he shouldn't say this but he was one of his favorite teachers in his youngling days. Always carrying his advice in his mind, even in Bandomeer. He hadn’t given himself the time to think about what it meant to return to this place and the memories, painful memories and peaceful memories, some of them were spiteful in Obi-Wan's mind still very much alive, still very strong, but he had to continue, he would soon be on a new planet in solitude and peace. Silence fell as he was guided to not far from where he had been lurking.

 _“I see Bandomeer good has done you.”_ Yoda said, breaking the silence.

“ _Yes_ " Obi-Wan said, smiling slightly.

Bowing down they both said goodbye.

“ _Good to see that, May the force be with you, young Obi-Wan_.”

“ _And with you, Master._ ”

Obi-Wan disappeared into the reassignment tower. He used a few final seconds to calm himself, there was a turbolift in front of him, he walked to it and entered the place. It was a large room, with chairs all around it, in a circle, the light passed through some crystals that surrounded the room. Obi-Wan walked steadily to the centre where Masters were already waiting for him, sitting on the seats. They were all full, with different races and masters of different ages, all of them older than him.

  
“ _You must be Obi-Wan Kenobi_ " said an Ithonian in Jedi clothing.

“ _Yes, I am Obi-Wan Kenobi._ ” Obi-Wan nodded as he watched the other masters. Glances were fixed on him like a helpless prey.

“ _We have been watching your career with great interest_ " commented a rose-colored Devaronian. The Ithonian reacted before Obi-Wan could appreciate the compliment.

“ _Yes, it is something this council has already discussed_.” A Twi'lek spoke from another of the seats.

Once again the eyes fell on him, tearing him apart with those eyes. It was like a test as if they were debating what to say to him, or if he was the right person to be in this place. Some looks passed between the Twi'lek and the Ithonian.

 _“Good.”_ The Twi'lek took the lead. “ _The council was so impressed and satisfied with your work that they decided to give you a bigger chance_.”

The Ithonian stood up and offered a Datapad to Obi-Wan. He took it in his hands not yet quite sure what it meant. He opened the datapad, it was a list of planets, some of which he hadn’t even studied during his time at the crechè. He looked up at the council, looking at them but his attention was drawn to a humanoid with colorless irises, a dark complexion and hair in a golden-brown bow that held his gaze. He swallowed a little spittle and returned to the meeting.

“ _We have decided that you are to take part in a new project of restoration of landscapes and strength in planets. In the datapad that Master Xazev has given you are the names of the planets participating in the project.”_ The Twi'lek explained. “ _Your work in Bandomeer has shown that you are more than capable of being part of this.”_

The eyes returned to Obi-Wan, dancing between him and the person who was speaking. Nerves were beginning to creep up his legs. 

“ _We're giving you a chance to decide your next destination.”_ The raspy voice of the Ithonian ended.

“ _You should meditate on it... Think and weigh what the force says.”_ Obi-Wan said, still reading the list of planets.

“ _Use the force, which planet tells you to go_.” The humanoid woman spoke in a gentle voice.  
Obi-Wan looked at her, feeling those eyes entering in his whole being. A little sweat came down from his hand. The master got up closer to Obi-Wan, placed her hand on his shoulder in a calming touch.

“ _Don't be nervous, trust the Froce._ ” She said as she walked to her seat.

Finally he nodded, placing the palm of her right hand on the datapad. He closed his eyes, leaving himself vulnerable to the force to shape him as it would like, to carry him where it would like and guide his path, trusting only in the force. In his mind, only one word formed.

“ _Mandalore._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is where the fun begins.   
> It was hard to write this, Well,,,"" to Write Yoda.   
> Well, the truth is, I don't want to rush through all the fanfic events, but I also don't want to be too slow on everything.  
> And, Yes that kiffar was Quilan. I love him very much.  
> By the way, thank you very much for all the Kudos.
> 
> As always Kudos and comments are appreciated. <3 :)  
> 'Till next week


	3. Old friends forgotten

“ _ Mandalore _ .”

Mace Windu, the new Jedi Council member nodded. Qui-Gon was somewhat confused, his diplomatic skills were his main weapon, but he didn’t fully understand how he was given such an important task. It was an opportunity to re-bond with the planet now that it had opened up to pacifism, meeting the Mandalorians, it wouldn’t have been an easy thing to ask the Jedi for help.

“ _ 15 hours ago we received a message of high importance from the Earl of Mandalore, Adonai Kryze _ .” Mace projected the message.

A man with marked features, the holoprojector didn’t reveal colors, but Qui-Gon was betting that he had the typical Mandalorian appearance: blond hair, blue eyes and white complexion. With a firm, almost military position, he was definitely not the great pacifist mind that claimed to be the whole body of the man shouting "Mandalorian Warrior".

" _ I am sending this communiqué for help, I know that in the past we have been enemies but you, Jedis, call yourselves as peacemakers, protectors of peace. So I ask you now that, in the face of the threats I have received in a try to bring peace to my people, help me protect it. The situation is getting more tense and I don't know how much longer I can maintain this calm among the clans. I await an answer. _ "

" _ It seems a worrying situation _ ." Qui-Gon wrapped his arms around the sleeves of his robe.

“ _ Worrying the situation, it certainly is. _ ” Yoda explained looking at the entire council. “That’s why proposed you for the mission I did.” 

“ _ With all due respect, Master Yoda, I think you are overvaluing me _ .” Qui-Gon answered humbly.

" _ The council is aware of all your qualities. _ " Mace interfered.

There was silence in the room, following the gazes of the council.

" _ So what will be my role in this mission? _ " Qui-Gon settled in firmly.

" _ It is a simple mission, we need you to protect the duke's family _ " Eeth koth said. Qui-Gon simply nodded.

“ _ You will start by escorting the Duchess back to Mandalore _ .” Mace took the leadership again as he used to do. “ _ Today at 1800 hours you will meet the Duke's eldest daughter in the archives room. Her name is Satine Kryze, she has been on Coruscant for 5 years studying politics. You will escort her to her apartment and the next day you will take her to the transport prepared for the republic that will take you to Mandalore. She is the future heiress of Mandalore, therefore this mission is crucial to establish a relationship between the order and the Mandalorians. They are entrusting us with their future, so impeccable work is imperative. _ ”

“ _ The transport will be a common ship that you will find at the end of the temple hangar, reserved only for Jedi. If the tensions in Mandalore are as strong as it seems we have decided that it will be better to go unnoticed. _ ” Master Saesee Tin completed. “ _ The remaining information has already been transferred on a datapad that Master Yaddle will provide you upon leaving _ .”

As much as Qui-Gon wanted to oppose to the advice, he couldn't do it this time. The tensions in the room could almost be cut with your fingers. The masters looking at him and looking at each other, he was probably not the most qualified Jedi for this mission, surely they wanted to place someone else, but nobody would dare to contradict the great master Yoda.

“ _ Who will be my partner for this mission? _ ” Qui-Gon went straight to the subject.

“ _ In the transport find your partner you will find, the Jedi Knight Ben Queodi. _ ” Yoda ended.

A small spark traveled down his back. He had never heard of that Jedi, perhaps it was a new generation Jedi or a new one. There was certainly something in that name that sounded suspicious to Qui-Gon, but the force clouded Jinn's vision. His first instinct was to put up his mental walls and nod. That name, he would meditate on that bad feeling then, the trip from Coruscant to Mandalore was long, he would have time to spare. He bowed to the teachers.

  
“ _ May the force be with you _ .” Yoda's voice answered.

  
  


He left the room taking the Datapad on his way out. Ben Queodi sounded familiar on his tongue but fuzzy, dark memories appeared in his mind, blurred with other memories, like patches on that person. He made his way back to his apartment, making himself a tea to clear his mind and meditate a bit before getting fully into the mission. He knew that person but only memories of Xanatos appeared in his mind clouding his judgment, stirring the pain he had experienced. He shook his head, returning to the here and now, taking the Datapad in his hands, opening the information provided by the council. There was a holo of the young heiress next to the mission objective description. Blue eyes fiercely staring directly at Qui-Gon, pale complexion, her face had not yet fully developed but there were traces of future beauty, a fine nose and cabello gathered in a Mandalorian outfit. It would be curious to meet a Mandalorian in these conditions. The last time Mandalorians and Jedis had contact was in war, without a doubt an embarrassing moment for both factions, on the part of the Jedi, failing to become soldiers and on the part of the Mandalorian bigheads, for losing the war. At the Crechè they always explained that part of the story as a monstrous fight, the destruction caused by both sides, the sterilization of Mandalore. Qui-Gon's hand cupped the teacup gently with both hands and took a sip. The liquid went down her throat comfortingly, she hoped this mission wasn't difficult, but Peace and Mandalorian have never been in the same sentence for some reason. He took a few seconds to finish drinking the tea, forcing his mind open.

That name, that Jedi, there was an unknown in all this and he didn’t know exactly what it was. That made him nervous, that bad feeling creeping up his body. Like a chill, maybe he should discuss this feeling with Yoda and get the cold stuff out where the force was fading. He took the cup and carried it with him to the floor, sitting down to meditate until the time came. The force around him created a comfortable environment making his energy flow force moving in calm waves, calmed by the place. Calming his mind by letting his body relax and his thoughts dissipate into the present, he opened his eyes, completely abstaining from the time of the time that had passed.

He looked at the Chrono, it was a few minutes before the start of his mission. He observed his lightsaber attached to his belt and the special communicator to contact the council in case the mission got complicated. Inspecting the object with his fingers, he placed it in one of his belt pockets.

He didn't rush to the rendezvous point, he knew the way by heart, although he shouldn't, he knew it was wrong to continue seeing Thal. That didn’t help him get rid of the woman. But there was nothing she could do to avoid it, it wasn't just love that bound him to her, there was also friendship and all the ties they had acquired through the years. That was something that even the code couldn't erase. The archives room, a public place that only the Jedi used to inhabit. Large blue-striped walls left a passageway of computer tables. At those tables were the odd Jedi reading, in a corner the Master Jocasta Nu helping a group of younglings, more in the background a single jedi sitting, reading, was striking for her long hair, full of color. He seemed completely focused on the information he was reading. Finally his eyes landed on the presence he had sought: Thal. She was talking to her apprentice calmly, Thal talked about her many times, she must be very proud. He wondered if ever an apprentice with his own hand would make him feel as complete as Thal felt with her padawan. Qui-Gon's presence didn’t go unnoticed by Thal. Bringing her eyes to him after finishing her own conversation, Qui-Gon replied with a discreet smile. His head returned to his target, a hooded young woman sitting at one of the tables.

“ _ Satine Kryze, I’m Qui-Gon Jinn, I have been sent by the council to protect her and escort her to Mandalore. _ ” Qui-Gon said looking at the young woman. She replied with a nod and lowering her hood. In person she seemed much younger than in the holos they had provided her.

" _ Nice to meet you, Jetii _ " she said in a solemn, somewhat dark tone. The young woman was not comfortable, she was nervous. What was going on in Mandalore?

" _ Don't worry about your family, they'll be fine _ " Qui-Gon assured, noting the girl's concern. It used to have this calming effect on people. The girl looked up at the Jedi with a questioning look but her calmer thoughts.

" _ I know. _ " She lowered her gaze to the table for a moment and then faced Qui-Gon again. " _ Do you care about informing me of Mandalore's situation? _ "

“ _ At the moment Duke Adonai assures that the tensions have reached a critical point, that is why he has requested the Jedi escort, to protect your family, especially you Lady Kryze. But for now there is nothing to fear. Do not worry, tomorrow we will take the transport and you will see how everything is under control. _ ” Qui-Gon's voice said without shaking for a second, perfectly covering the small lie. “ _ We should start to collect his things and prepare for the long journey that awaits us _ .” Qui-Gon had the feeling that this trip would test his limits and those of the duchess.

She nodded, as if she were an exhausted person leading the way to the duchess's apartment. Qui-Gon sharpened his senses by tuning them into force. The technique the Jedi Knights mastered, what made them Jedi Knights, their attunement to the Force. Obi-Wan watched that Jedi knight march with the hooded girl from the archive room. He returned his gaze to the Datapad he was holding, before going to Mandalore he should study the planet and its ecosystem. It hadn't accomplished much though because the planet had been completely uninhabitable for quite some time. It was irritating, and he could feel the eyes of that reassignment council member on his back. The woman had started talking to a Calamarian Mon, all in a familiar and close air that surrounded the two women. It would be very easy to get up close and ask but he decided to reread Mandalore's information, as if he hadn't read it yet. Taking the first part he began to read;  _ Mandalore is a planet in the outer region, coordinates O-7 _ ; Close enough to Bandomeer, he couldn't lie that he had had that urge to escape the planet during his stay but in the end the force pushed him to stay there. Obi-Wan found himself wondering what his plants would do now. They would probably be fine, although they had never been alone for so long ...  _ For the love of the force _ ,  _ they are Obi-Wan plants, focus on the next mission  _ \- his mind reacted. Trying to remember the Jedi code to eject those distractions. Returning to the text;  _ The planet of Mandalore was sterilized as a consequence of the wars between the Jedi and the Mandalorians _ ; a hand was placed on Obi-Wan's shoulder;  _ but according to records it was known that the main species that inhabit… _ Obi-Wan's gaze followed the hand until he found the Mon Calamari looking at him. Something confused asked:

  
“ _How can I help you?_ ” He left the Datapad on the table.

  
  


“ _ Obi-Wan? Like in Obi-Wan Kenobi? _ ” She asked.

_ “Uhm ... Yes, I am Obi-Wan Kenobi _ ” He answered without knowing exactly what he was supposed to do until an old connection was rekindled in the force, pushing him. “ _ Wait, Bant? _ ”

The Calamarian mon nodded bringing a smile to her lips. Obi-Wan stood up, throwing his arms to hug his friend. Joy flooding his being, after so long away and he was just grateful to have the opportunity to meet someone from his past who was not ashamed to see him. Mainly he remembered the poor impression younglings had of those who weren’tt chosen as padawans.

" _ By force Obi-Wan, you've changed a lot. _ " Bant brought him out of his thoughts.

" _ Yes, well, Bandomeer shapes you differently than Coruscant does _ ." He tried to sound eloquent.

" _ I didn't expect to see you here ... ever _ " she commented, placing a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder.

“ _ The truth is that neither did I Bant _ .” Obi-Wan opened up with his friend. _ “But it seems that the force always ends up guiding me to the same place.” _

“ _ Has it really been that many years? You almost sound like a Jedi master. _ ” Bant joked. A joke that might have seemed innocent but Obi-Wan felt it go straight through his center, he hid it quickly, as if it were a wounded animal fleeing, and laughed lightly, passing his hand behind the neck.

“ _ A question. That teacher you were talking to … _ ” Obi-Wan asked observing if the named Jedi was over there.

“ _ You mean Thal? She is my master. Is there anything else I can do for you? _ ” She asked hospitably.

“ _ There isn’t much you can do, soon I will be outside the temple ... but I do need something. _ ”

  
  
  


New clothes, yes Obi-Wan went for new clothes. He couldn't help it, he had grown up and his clothes weren’t his size and most were full of poorly sewn holes. There was no better place than the temple to get Jedi clothing, plus they were much more comfortable than the other fabrics they sold you in other places, providing insulation from the cold and perfect for any terrain you could find. At the end he finished that night dressed in a new cream-colored tunic, a reddish-brown inner tunic, the same color as the tabards, and the Obi at his waist held tight with a bantha leather belt that he already possessed of before. He felt like a new man. In his new clothes and the exact outer robe folded on his arm, Bant insisted on accompanying him for dinner. He did not remember many things about the place, only some sensations that made him feel at home. Bant guided him to a table.

_ "Wait a minute, you're the turbolift guy. _ " A Kiffar got up from the same table, Obi-Wan hadn't even bothered to look at who was there.

“ _ Be a little gentler Quilan. _ ” A Mirialan said sitting next to a human with brown hair and a human with blond hair.

" _ Guys _ ,  _ don't tell me you don't recognize who he is _ ." Bant put his friends to the test.

“ _ There are many jedi in the temple that we have not met. Bant. _ ” The blonde girl replied.

Obi-Wan's shyness began to push the young man to make his little nervous hobbies. His eyes traveled all over the familiar faces at the table until they were off to one side of the room.

" _ But not all of them are Obi-Wan Kenobi. _ " His friend concluded.

“ _ Wait a moment. _ ” The kiffar with a big smile brought his hands on the table leaning towards Obi-Wan.  _ “Obi-Wan Kenobi? What are you doing here? I thought they sent you to the Agricorps. _ ”

" _ Y-Yes, well, I'm just passing by. _ " He commented with enough confidence to look at his friend.

_ “Come on! Sit down _ .” The kiffar clapped him on the shoulder.

Obi-Wan took his place looking at his old friends. Quilan had always been rough and outgoing, honestly on the hormones of adolescence he was almost grateful to have missed that phase of him. On his right side Bant took place at the end of the table and on his left side was Luminara. She left a little space between the two, as if the one who had sat down was the reflection of someone she didn't know. There was silence at the table, waiting for him to react.

" _ I hope Quilan haven’t give you a lot of work while I was away? _ " He joked waking up some laughter.

“ _ Ah, you say it as if it were a pain in the ass” _ The kiffar holstered his arms at chest height, pretending to be the offended, but quickly the bad sign of a smile appeared on his lips. “ _ But deep down, I know that you only wanted to spend time with me.” _

_ “It seems that you are the only one at this table that hasn’t matured Quilan. _ ” Kenobi hesitated.  _ “Glad to see you all again, Luminara, Garen, Quilan, Bant.” _

_ "I never thought I'd see you around here again. _ " Garen chimed in.

" _ Neither do I, as I told you I am only here for a short time _ " Obi-Wan reaffirmed.

They started talking about the past, gloating over those cherished memories of Obi-Wan happiness in the ectasis of feeling loved by someone, by his friends. A nice image but that feeling was still there, reminding him that it was just a failure, that he should spend his days in the temple, not helping to grow vegetation. It had been a great experience but nobody had prepared him for the memory of what it was like to be with people, Obi-Wan did not know if he could resist one more mission, a mission isolated from the world in an unknown place where judging eyes would review him from top to bottom. What a cruel fate, to know what you could have had but it was taken from you so unfairly, if only he had uttered a word as simple as: Yes. He had only been able to taste a little honey on his lips, the adrenaline in Bandomeer knowing that he had saved lives that day. Obi-Wan wanted to save life. All kinds of life. It was something Bandomeer had taught him, there are different kinds of life and they all influence your destiny. Despite never being alone, Obi-Wan genuinely preferred something to talk about. His hands curled into his glass, some strength in his grip. Soon he would be back to some unknown place and lose all of this. His mind disconnected from the moment had lost the thread of the story Siri was explaining, he hadn’t known Siri but she seemed to get along with his friends. But there was no point in hearing about stories that he did not understand, jokes of padawans that he didn’t fully understand, everything at that moment shouted at him you do not belong here. The night was progressing. Altar, who had stormed the table as if he were in his own house, placed himself on Obi-Wan's lap.

“ _ Now seriously Kenobi, why are you here _ ?” Quilan, the last person left of the group looked at him with a very suspiciously prohibited drink in his glass.

" _ To take a new mission, _ " Obi-Wan replied, he and Quilan had always been close despite being so opposite.

“ _ Uh, mission of which type, a new mutant plant? _ ” Quilan asked.

" _ No, revitalization. _ " Obi-Wan rested his head on one of his hands while stroking the Tooka. " _ They will send me to Mandalore. _ " To revitalize the planet, get the living force flowing again.

Obi-Wan took out the datapad on which it contained all the information provided by the council and the files, leaving it on the table.

" _ Uh, you know what they say about Mandalore ... _ " Quilan dropped.

“ _ What? the jedi are not welcome? _ ” Obi-Wan answered without liking the way of the conversation.

_ “Come on Kenobi, you are going to tell me that during all this time you haven’t thought for a moment about a girl. _ ” Quilan had achieved his objective, Obi-Wan reddened.

_ “Quilan! We are jedi we shouldn't even be having this kind of conversation. _ ” Altar went back up to the table rubbing her back with one of the Kiffar's arms.

" _ It seems that your pet liked me, unlike you," _ Quilan joked. “ _ He sure doesn't mind talking to me. _ ”

" _ She .. _ ." Obi-Wan corrected.

“ _ Oh Obi-Wan, don't tell me you're one of those types of persons! _ ” Quilan exclaimed. Obi-Wan looked at him in confusion, taking a sip of the drink his friend had brought.  _ "I mean, well, I suppose alone ... Desperate situations, desperate solutions ... But my friend, you should try a person _ ."

Obi-Wan poured all the contents out of his mouth.

“ _ Hey! _ ” Quilan rose from the table quickly. “ _ You almost got me wet. _ ”

“ _ Can't you think of anything other than that?! _ ” Obi-Wan couldn't be more ashamed.

" _ Yes, but it's much funnier to see you like this _ " Quilan said, letting the Tooka place himself on one of his shoulders.

Obi-Wan suspected that Altar could detect the relationships he had, or simply, Quilan was a person who felt close. Obi-Wan had always seen him like this, he was shy but Quilan was like an open book, he said what he thought when he thought about it without being afraid of the consequences, he made stupid jokes and he was the first to skip classes when they were young. Despite this, it has always been a person who Obi-Wan has always felt that his secrets were protected and it seemed that during these years at least that had not changed.

_ "We should go now." _ Obi-Wan started to get up from his place.

“ _ Oh, don't be like that Obi-Wan. One last round on my site.” _ Quilan commented showing the bottle which he had been consuming.

“ _ We shouldn't … _ ” He took the datapad in his hands.

" _ Come on Kenobi, we don't know when we'll see each other again _ ." Quilan tried to persuade him, with quite effective effect.

They moved out of the cafeteria walking down the hallways. As always Obi-Wan being swept away by Quilan Vos' aura. He woke up on a kind of sofa which was in his friend's apartment, surely he had stayed up late or had even fallen asleep while talking. His mind was a little sore, probably from the drink that Vos had smuggled into the temple as a "souvenir" of his first mission as a Jedi Knight. Despite having lost track of time, he knew it was early, his mind had connected to the living force alone, and he could still feel the appeased signatures of the residents still asleep. He got up to take the datapad at the table in the apartment, he had to take the transport today and he wanted to make sure everything was correct. He had the strange feeling that something was wrong, well, that feeling was called Quilan.

He took the outdated artifact in his hands. A wave of panic invaded Obi-Wan when the device did not turn on.

“ _ Quilan! _ ” Obi-Wan ran to the Kiffar's room, frantically shaking his friend. “ _ Quilan! _ ”

" _ Ah, just a few more minutes, master _ " Quilan muttered sleepily.

_ “No no no. Quilan I need you now. _ ” He kept shaking him with more intensity this time.

" _ You know I love you and all that friends stuff, but I hate getting up early. _ " Quilan lazily dragged his body out of his bed, revealing his very naked body.

“ _ Put something on! _ ” Obi-Wan covered his eyes.

" _ Come Obi, I have nothing that you don’t have. _ " Quilan hesitated.

_ "I swear by the force that this is not the moment. _ " Obi-Wan tried to use one of his calmest tones to reason with his friend.

" _ Okay, but it was you who came to find me in my room. _ " A few seconds passed. " _ You can open your eyes now." _

He quickly grabbed his friend, leading him to the room where his things were. Giving him the Datapad in his hands. Obi-Wan was panicking. He knew that the council expected nothing from him but it was a matter of minimal dignity to accept this opportunity.

_ “It doesn’t work, I had my shuttle data there and I have not memorized it, Quilan, I do not know where I have to go and I am going to run out of transport. I'm a mess, I don't know what to do and -”  _

“ _ Calm down _ ” Quilan stopped him “ _ just go to the hangar and ask the droid for information, about the transports. You don't have to do that drama. _ ”

“ _ Take me now _ .” Obi-Wan gathered his things taking Altar included.

“ _ Are you serious? _ ” Quilan looked at him crossing his arms at chest height.

“ _ Yes _ .” Obi-Wan gave him a look and took the datapad. “ _ This is your fault.” _

“ _ Hey, don't be like this, now I'll take you _ .” As always reluctance enveloped Vos's tone.

Quilan guided Obi-Wan through the temple to the hangar pressed by the young man to hurry up. The droid was in a corner organizing some things. With both hands on the counter of the customs protocol droid, Obi-Wan spoke almost desperately.

" _ I have to get a transport, destination Mandalore, set sail today. _ " Impatiently, his finger began to hit the place while the droid slowly placed the data on a datapad to classify the transport and get the results, it took forever to do so.

“ _ Yes, there is one in hangar 174 and also -... _ ”

" _ Thanks _ ." Obi-Wan cut the droid off, rushing in the direction of that hangar.

He could see the transport, a small cargo ship, probably with supplements for his work on the planet. It was somewhat isolated, discreet in the eyes of others, it didn’t matter. It seemed that the council had taken it upon herself to remind her how insignificant his job was.

" _ You must be the Jedi _ ." A droid with a nasal voice spoke. it was guarding the ship.

" _ Yes it is me _ " Obi-Wan declared with some pride in his words, at least he had reached that level.

" _ We are about to leave, we were waiting for you. _ " The droid finished.

  
Obi-Wan entered, it was a simple ship with many cargo boxes in the warehouses, only when he arrived he asked to be taken to his room to rest the long journey to his destination: _Mandalore_.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very sorry for the delay in this episode, but I rewrote it like 3 times and I am still quite dissatisfied with this episode. I just don't like the interaction between Satine and Qui-Gon, it's horrible. :(  
> And my week has not been easy precisely, many things happened that keeped me from writing, I even had to do a COVID-19 test, luckily everything is fine now.  
> I didn't know how to introduce everything I wanted to touch in this episode, besides: QUILAN VOS.  
> That man is like me sharing my only neuron with my friends and I love it. He is one of those people who easily makes others open up to them but at the same time he is so politically incorrect. He just wants to make Obi-Wan blush. Poor Cinnamon-wan Kenobi.   
> Well and in the next episode is were the fun begins.  
> Thank you very much for these Kudos, I really didn't expect that it would reach such a large amount in such a short time. :) <3  
> Comments and Kudos are appreciated, as always.


	4. 4 lilies

Satine wasn't sure how the situation in Mandalore going to be like. She was nervous, almost paranoid. She had had this conversation with her father before and it was repeating in her mind as if it was the beginning of the end. He told her that everything was okay, tensions between clans were always usual. Her father had been a respected warrior, and Satine couldn't say he was a bad leader. He was, he had come to unite all the clans, something that not many could achieve. As she had told her father, they were to take this opportunity to improve and open Mandalore to the galaxy. Polish our traditions a little, change the destructive to something constructive. After days and days of discussion the Duke had finally come to his senses trying to pacify the people of Mandalore. What Satine didn't know was that it would awake so many enemies. Perhaps if she was there she could convince the Mandalorians that peace wasn't a symbol of weakness but a simple acquisition for life. Once she was there this whole transition would be much smoother. If she had managed to get her father to change his mind he could make the people of Mandalore realize that war was not the solution to all their problems. Since she began her studies in politics she was fascinated by the art of peace within political ideologies. She had never been a warrior like her father, her gift was the words. Something that not many Mandalorians possessed, scarce many times, conflicts were inevitable due to the lack of someone like her there, someone who negotiated between clans. Someone to protect the peace, like a Jedi. She had seen them in Coruscant a couple of times but never talked to them.

Satine took a look at the Jedi sitting next to her, his eyes closed and his hands clasped together in his lap. He had told her that he was meditating. She hoped that she wouldn't spend the entire trip meditating, the trip was relatively long and she didn't know how much longer she could contain her own anxieties. She was trying to remember the calm words the Jedi - Qui-Gon - had said to her. Everything was fine, only her father needed her there by his side. She had left many things behind, she wondered how her family would be, she had kept in touch but it was not the same to talk to them through a hologram than to be with real people. Having her mother's warm hand caressing her and helping her to do some hairstyle. She smiled at the memory of small family gatherings, when she was younger, strolling through the gardens with her sister. She and Bo may never have agreed on anything but in the end, they were sisters, family. He had always envied that his sister had inherited her mother's reddish hair. She had to fight for it, peace so that more young people from Mandalore could experience what a family, a childhood was, and grow up having the protection of your parents around you.

She'd take a look at the Jedi again. He seemed completely serene, a dead calm. You could only hear the engines and the noise of her thoughts, it was comfortable but a point that everything was quite boring. She should spend the entire trip in silence waiting for the Jedi to realize that she must be watching him, or at least that's what escorts used to do in Mandalore. At least with the palace guards, she could establish a minimal conversation, how was she supposed to speak to a person who had surely fallen asleep?

" _ I am not asleep, I am meditating Lady Kryze. _ " The man said scaring Satine on the spot.

" _ And how is that supposed to help us get to Mandalore?  _ " She questioned the Jedi.

" _ Despite all my abilities as a Jedi to bring two planets closer, I still don't know how to do it. _ " Qui-Gon answered by opening his eyes and undoing the Meditation position.

" _ Do you know anything about the other Jedi in my escort? _ " She changed the subject.

" _ According to the droids, he has been locked in his room the entire trip. _ " Qui-Gon put his hand on his beard for a few seconds. Maybe it wasn't even there. But in the end, they would end up finding him, a person couldn't spend almost two days of travel locked up without meeting them.- Sometimes we Jedi need to meditate deeply. Think about things that came up in missions.

But the feeling was still there. Something Qui-Gon couldn't distinguish, a feeling of closeness almost the same as Xánatos. He had meditated on the ship, the force still dirtying his sight but he could feel the brilliant signature of the young knight's strength. He was there but nevertheless, it seemed that he didn't know of the presence of Satine Kryze or Qui-Gon. Completely isolated from the entire ship. Whoever it was, Qui-Gon could see how the force gave him completely peaceful connotations of the being.

" _ What's the use of a ghost Jedi? _ " She replied it seemed that she didn't like the Jedi and hadn't even met the subject in question.

" _ There are Jedi, not many, who always work alone despite the fact that many of us consider the temple as our family _ ," he assured her. He should treat her cautiously, those data from the temple would calm her anxieties about her family, but it was something that she couldn't take as a challenge or offense, this was still a diplomatic mission after all.

_ "So what does it mean for a Jedi to be alone? _ " She proposed the challenge, no doubt a sharp mind that tried to test the ideals of the mysterious knight Queodi, without being there.

" _ It's a good question, what does your family mean to you?" _ Qui-Gon countered with a question.

" _ My family is one of the most powerful clans in Mandalore but it does not mean power, my family means change, hope. If my father and mother can change their minds about war and accept the concept of peace, then there is hope for the other clans. _ " She answered fixing her eyes to the wall thinking about her words.

_ "Well then, for the Jedi the temple is like a little bubble of hope _ " Qui-Gon determined. She gave him a look. Qui-Gon was sure she would meditate on the shared words for the next few days. They didn't usually talk much, but the actions of the future duchess spoke for themselves.

" _ Hope that? Let's remember that the last time a Mandalorian and a Jedi got together there was a massacre. _ " With determination, she took the reins of the conversation again.

_ "As you said, evolution, the ancient Jedi were wrong and that ended in a massacre for both sides of the war. But being wise is also knowing how to distinguish errors and rectify. _ " He replied looking at the young woman who valued the words, thinking whether to accept the answer as valid or think of an eloquent answer.  _ "I will go to check how is our ghost Jedi." _

According to Qui-Gon's opinion, the best way to meditate was in solitude, besides, she wasn't going to be calm until he checked that everything was in place. He took the way to the place of the rooms. The freighter was quite simple, it had 6 passenger rooms, a cargo space, a leisure room, and next to that place a small medical bay, among other things, wasn't a very large ship compared to others but It was made to carry more passengers in its normal use. The area in which Qui-Gon and Lady Satine were was the part of the seats, it also had that place, full of seats next to a holomap projecting the route that they had left. Almost half of the journey was already completed.

He reached the door that was usually closed and locked. With his clenched fist, He knocks on the door material, gently so as not to hurt himself. As in his previous attempts, he received no response from the person in the compartment. The contrast of his experience collided with their feeling of force, when force called for calm saying that the person they shared a ship with was harmless, the fact of not knowing who they would have to work with gave him a feeling of suspicion. Hopefully, his combat form would be a minimal companion for his Ataru. He took a small breath and placed his hand on the door. Calling the force he tried to trace the room there was a fairly calm life form. As Qui-Gon suspected, he must have been meditating or sleeping. It wasn't powerful enough to know anything else. He lowered his hand from the door and put his hands on the robe once more. He said nothing, not a single thought in his head. He understood that young man, perhaps confused, he may not even have had time to restore his energy from his last mission. Something in Qui-Gon's bones told him that this mission was somewhat improvised.

One of the things that surprised Qui-Gon is how stubborn, strong, and proud Satine Kryze was and the other was that he had been wrong about all her assumptions from the start. Definitely, that ghost Jedi Knight could go the whole trip without coinciding with them, and in fact, he had proved it. It wasn't something that Jinn liked, nor Satine, Qui-Gon could feel the irritation leaving the young Mandalorian every time they covered the subject. On Qui-Gon's part, he had decided to continue to trust the force in this issue and treat it calmly. It was a fact that there was another person there with them, due to the disappearance of rations and that door that was always closed. When the transport reached the planet this mystery would be solved.

As for the other aspects of the trip, everything had gone normally, smoothly, without any problem. Obi-Wan was grateful for it. Normally when he entered a transport he used to get into the affairs of a criminal organization or simply in trouble. He considered that as one of the parts of his maturity, learning to ignore that instinct to search, explore, and look. Accustomed to the sedimentary life of Bandomeer, he usually stayed in his room, sleeping or in this case studying Mandalore and his system. He also didn't have many trips to compare with this one. Applying a routine created many months ago in Bandomeer, he got up early, went for all the food for that day? He wasn't used to such long trips, it was a bit awkward not being able to see a mainland in addition to losing track of time. That had made his sleep schedules somewhat irregular, he fell asleep at any time of the trip, sometimes short naps, a rest so delicate that at the opening of an eye there was no way to go back to sleep. So when the ship wobbled violently waking Obi-Wan up, he knew he would have a long nap that day.

He got up somewhat alarmed without remembering that there was a roof in the bunk. But the blow to his head was not what bothered him, it was at the center of the limit of activity and rest.

" _ Ugh ... _ " He placed a hand on his newly struck forehead. " _ It is a somewhat strange way to enter the atmosphere of a planet, don't you think? _ "

The ship trembled again, this time more violently. Obi-Wan had fallen to the ground with that movement, he wasn't yet awake enough to keep his balance.

"L _ et's take a look at what the hell is going on. _ " He said reaching for his things and taking out of his bag that lightsaber found in bandomeer, the last tie with the order he had. By placing it on the belt, he used to use it to have a more threatening image.

Altar slipped into the bag that was carried by Obi-Wan as he left his room. The movement of the ship was getting worse until it reached a continuous vibration. Anyone with three connected neurons could deduce that this wasn't a good thing. He reached the door of the cockpit. It was his moment. He had to be in charge of safeguarding this ship, he had done it once before, it shouldn't be that difficult this time, right? A wave of anxiety washed over Obi-Wan's body, beginning to feel his somewhat sweaty hands. Concentrate, he told himself, placing a hand on the lightsaber on his belt. He interrupted in the cabin finding that two people had already gone ahead of him.

_ "At good hours you have decided to appear Jetti Knight _ ." The blonde girl on the right said.

" _ What...? _ " Obi-Wan took a few seconds and advanced to stand next to the pilot's seat occupied by a man battling for control of the ship. " _ We are Falling." _

Panic taking hold of him, that comment was merely blocking himself. His sight could only focus on the planet floor where he would end up dying, this was the end. So death reached him, seven feet ahead of him, If he see it coming, do he run or do he let it be? Is it like a beat without a melody?

" _ Good observation but I think we should think of a way to get out of this ship alive. _ " The girl commented again, rather in a panic.

" _ We have lost the engines, the controls are not responding and the pilots have disappeared. Possible sabotage? _ " The long-haired man looked at Obi-Wan with a serenity that kenobi would pay right now to be like him. So the man stared at him waiting for something to happen.

" _ I-I guess?" _ Obi-Wan dug his hands into the passenger seat.

" _ We have to get out of here. _ " The man took the leadership seeing that the young man couldn't decide whether to start screaming, crying or running. he touches a couple of buttons. " _ Do you see any platform that we can use?" _

" _ Uh .. _ ." Obi-Wan emerged from his trance feeling the force tighten in a thread that pulled from the direction of the man's gaze. Pumping adrenaline rushes his senses sharpened. With an attentive look, he analyzed the place. _ "I don't know ... I ..." _ He was starting to get nervous, again he forcibly opened his head checking the surroundings ..." _ There. that hangar. If you could get the ship a little closer perhaps we could use it to avoid reducing the blow. _ "

Without hesitation, the man tugged on the controls to try to plan with the ship. Every second counted, if they did not get there they would be dead and the seconds passed one by one, an error and all dead. Another shot of adrenaline hit Obi-Wan's blood, he could hardly feel his heartbeat bouncing off his head, camouflaging the other sounds around him. He could only concentrate on the descending ship that was beginning to curve the vision of the ground beginning to focus a little on the spaceport seen by Obi-Wan, his heartbeat in relief, there was still hope the ship continued to struggle to reach its destination. Obi-Wan no longer worried that his hand was almost white from clenching his fingers on the passenger seat. This was not over yet.

_ "Come on boy."  _ The man said from the door of the cabin.

There was no time to think when he had moved he chased the man to the door.

" _ What's the plan? _ " Obi-Wan asked.

" _ When we are close enough." _ The man opened the access hatch which was blown away by the wind of the fall. " _ We jump to the hangar. I will take lady Kryze _ ."

" _ Jump?! Are you crazy? _ !" Lady Kryze exclaimed.

_ "Do not worry everything is going to be okay. As your protectors, we will not allow anything to happen to you. _ " The man assured calming the girl. " _ Unless you are going to suggest another plan. _ "

" _ Something that doesn't consist of jumping out of a vehicle about to crash. _ " Obi-Wan was quick to comment. To Obi-Wan's bad luck the girl shook her head.

The man gestured with his hands before saying.

" _ If you allow me. _ " The girl agreed. And the man who was quite taller than Obi-Wan took the girl in his arms. He hadn't realized that until now. That man was familiar to him. The beard, the posture, and that questioning look that settled on Obi-Wan and nodded. " _ Follow in my footsteps." _

" _ Oh, so we're doing this. _ " Obi-Wan commented with his voice trembling in his throat.

The man stood in front of the transport entrance, shaking the man's clothes violently. He was like this for a few seconds concentrating, bending his legs for balance and loading his legs so that at any moment he would jump explosively to the sky, an incredibly long jump landing right on the platform. Obi-Wan sucked in a bit of air clutching the ends of the door, concentrated on not thinking about what was there, and in one final decision went to the back of the room and took a run to jump without thinking twice. He felt the air violently in his robe slipping through the folds, he must have been in the flight phase when he opened his eyes. The adrenaline pumping in his blood, the edge, his hands. His hands gripped the edge of the platform as when a Nexu assaulted the jugular jug of prey. He felt his hands go numb and he began to slip, searching with his feet uselessly for a place to lean on. Each time he felt his muscles more sore keeping his entire body tense until he felt a hand helping him up.

" _ It's been close _ ," the man once commented, leaving Obi-Wan on a safe floor.

The young man took a breath, he could finally breathe, his body felt lighter in effect from the euphoria felt after that experience on the verge of death. In his hands he hugged the bag where he knew that Altar was beyond scared, letting his body rest on the floor.

_ "Finally, we meet knight Queodi. _ " The man commented wrapping his hands in his robe.

" _ Eh? ... _ " Now Kenobi was confused and somewhat embarrassed, normally an adult person would not be hugging his backpack on the floor of a hangar. Starting to regain his composure, he got up from the floor, cleaning his clothes along the way. Placing his eyes on the floor to avoid any uncomfortable gaze.

_ "I am the teacher Qui-Gon Jinn, your partner in this mission." _ The man continued.

In the field of vision, he saw the older man's hand, inspecting it as if he had come across a new society and did not know about its culture. Qui-Gon Jinn, your mind connected two points. He was the Jedi who abandoned him. He took his opponent's hand, looking up to see Qui-Gon inspect. They hadn't told him that he was going to have a partner, least of all someone he had been remembering all these years, in his mind, playing the same conversation over and over again. The force certainly had an ironic sense of humor.

" _ And you? _ " Obi-Wan noticed the girl.

" _ What do you mean "What about me?" _ " The girl exploded against him making him fall back on the spot.

" _ She is Satine Kryze."  _ Qui-Gon stepped in before the fight could go any further.

Obi-Wan looked at the girl. She had never seen someone like her before, in Bandomeer it was not normal to find humanoids around the place, also the force twisted in an exceptional way filling that being with fire and hope. A brilliant being almost stunned before Obi-Wan and the words felt awkward in his mouth. Luckily for Obi-Wan, he didn't have to think of an excuse because a big explosion interrupted that moment of calm. As if the world had stopped for a few seconds and now everything continued to move, different people in armor appeared.

" _ Identify yourselves. _ " One of the soldiers said raising a blaster. " _ What is your purpose?" _

Obi-Wan went to place his hand on his lightsaber. But he pulled it back, they weren't doing anything wrong there, they just came to an agriculture project and had permission to be there. The girl - Satine - took a step with strength and determination, something Obi-Wan never knew how to have.

" _ I am Satine Kryze daughter of the duke of Mandalore. _ " She said with the fire that Obi-Wan had seen before muttering among the soldiers. " _ And this is my escort, we have come to meet the duke." _

Unexpectedly, all the soldiers knelt before the girl. One of them rose, the leader, Obi-Wan supposed. The man approached taking off the helmet that covered his face, revealing a young man perhaps from u

We were years older than Obi-Wan, blond, square-shouldered, blue-eyed with square features on his face.

" _ Satine. _ " The Man smiled slightly but changed to a harder expression.  _ "We must go to the palace." _

_ "Bruk, what happened? _ " She said bringing a hand to her chest. Qui-Gon carefully watched the movements.

_ "I'd better show you _ " he said, guiding them to the transport at the end of the platform.

As they walked, the other soldiers surrounded them protectively. They quietly entered the transport, Obi-Wan hugging his backpack and stroking the Tooka who was very patiently hiding there. His actions went unnoticed, there was tension in the air enough to distract the other occupants of the vehicle. The Mandalorian warrior - Bruk - took off his helmet as he entered.

" _ You must be the jetiise the Duke had requested _ " Bruk said.

" _ Yes."  _ Qui-Gon said with a slight nod. " _ I am Qui-Gon jinn and he is my partner the Knight Queodi." _

_ "It is pronounced Kenobi." _ Obi-Wan added regretting the moment when he saw that he had drawn all eyes to him.

" _ So young? _ " Bruk asked judging Queodi.

" _ Bruk, what happened? _ " Satine asked somewhat irritated, she did not like to wait considering the circumstances.

"I _ 'll get down to business Satine." _ They must have known each other from the colloquial way in which they spoke, or they were simply being Mandalorians " _ Mandalore is at war, Sundari is no longer safe. We take you to the palace to decide what to do, under these circumstances we do not know how much longer we can keep them away from you." _

There was silence again in the place, Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon who looked closely at the two Mandalorians next to them. They muttered things in a language that Obi-Wan did not know or understand. But from the way they said it, it was clear they were talking about something more personal, something Obi-Wan felt he shouldn't be hearing. The transport stopped, everyone got out, it was a bleak landscape, distant fumes were seen in rectangular structures - buildings - Obi-Wan could find the similarities to Coruscant. It was not the same, but similar. Ahead of him, a large building stood, the same shade of gray that tinted the entire city.

It was a massive building, unlike Bandomeer this building was overflowing with decorations and light-flooded passageways with a glass ceiling.  _ It was a very relative form of war, _ Obi-wan thought. The passage through which they were led ended at a door which made them stop. Again the tension of the vehicle returned. Qui-Gon put a hand on Satine Kryze's shoulder. Bruk's eyes met, keeping their eyes locked for a few seconds.

" _ We require the presence of the heir, alone _ ." Bruk said.  _ "It will be fine, the assaults have not yet reached this place." _

" _ Could you inform me of the situation in which we are facing?" _ Qui-Gon said sliding his hand off the young woman's shoulder.

_ "Yes. Ujijurt, Accompany te jetiise at te operations petir bal explain te tenn fronts bal te akaan _ ." The man spoke and one of the soldiers advanced leading the way.

_ "Watch the room."  _ Qui-Gon told him before leaving the place and leaving Obi-Wan in that passageway.

As the minutes ticked by, Obi-Wan grew bored. He ran his hand over the wall material, curious about the difference in quality between Bandomeer and Mandalore. Altar soon appeared on his shoulder.

" _ Sorry _ " Obi-Wan said, stroking the Tooka's head.

Altar looked from side to side, somewhat confused, and then with one of his front paws, he placed it on Obi-Wan's head.

“ _ Very funny. _ ” He commented. “ _ I know this is all new, but I think it will be better than Bandomeer, I can assure you _ .”

The force warned him for a moment and he quickly shoved the Tooka into his backpack again as he heard the door open behind him. The girl came out, pale, like a fire extinguished with water. Inside Obi-Wan something twisted. Something had happened. Satine's hands were filled with only 4 lilies.

Obi-Wan didn't know exactly what happened in that room, but after Satine left that room there was no hope but a dark abyss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow, what a week.   
> It's been a crazy week, two non-stop week. And I still don't know how I made it to write this. I still don't like the result but there you go.  
> A lot of love to all of you, remember, stay safe, and see you next week.
> 
> As always Kudos and Comments appreciated.  
> 50 kudos, wow boys :) <3


	5. Our allies

The room was illuminated by a hologram of the city, the outskirts flashing in red in circles. They had managed to stop the attack from the rear for the moment. The hangars were intact that was their key point at the time.

" _ We don't have the strength yet to drive the Vizsla clan out of the city." _ Ujijurt said in the same raspy voice. "We cannot allow Duchess Satine to stay here." If they capture her, they will try, it will be our defeat.

" _ I agree with you." _ Qui-Gon stated.

A few glances passed through the Mandalorians warriors. The presence of the jedi made them uncomfortable, Qui-Gon had felt it as soon as he entered the room. Which he could consider normal, he didn't expect to be greeted as a savior.

" _ We have a ship already prepared for you to take Duchess Satine back to Coruscant, the rebels will not dare to attack the republic. _ " Ujijurt finished declaring, almost ordering Qui-Gon to stay away.

_ "I'm not going anywhere." _ Satine appeared through the door, holding some white flowers in her hands. " _ I'm not going to leave Mandalore in this situation." _

Qui-Gon could sense the insecure young woman, doing what her instincts told her. Qui-Gon wasn't stupid, he had noticed the title change from heir to the duchess. It had all the elements of a tragedy.

_ "I understand what you mean Duchess. But we think you'd better leave this planet. _ ” Bruk moved from behind her to stand on the edge of the holotable.

" _ I thought that you more than anyone would understand my devotion to Mandalore." _ She inquired looking at the warrior.

" _ With all due respect, Duchess." _ That name came from Qui-Gon's lips stunning more than one.  _ "I think you should listen to your advisers." _

She fixed her eyes on him, a fierce gaze tinged with a flash of pain, but deep down the respect, formed in her conversations with the Jedi master. She made a small movement with her head, nodding it, she was no longer attacking now she was thinking her next action.

" _ I cannot leave Mandalore, it would be seen as a show of weakness and could be fatal if more Mandalorians sympathize with these rebels."  _ Silence fell in the room. Qui-Gon was not a war strategist he was emphasized not meddling in planet affairs. His mission of diplomacy and protection extended to the duchess and her family. If the council didn't decide to change plans.

" _ What if we take you to a planet of the same system? _ " The other Jedi knight spoke, touching the tip of one of his strands between his fingers. Eyes fell on him, quickly being deflated by the boy staring off to the side of the room. The boy was like an open book, Qui-Gon doubted that he knew of the existence of mental walls.

_ "She could go to Kalevala, we have allies there and it is a safe place."  _ Ujijurt spoke.  __ The question remained in the air while Bruk gave her approval to the proposal. It was safe, but how long would it stay like this?

Perhaps it wasn't the first thing a Mandalorian thought of possible defeat, but Qui-Gon was not a Mandalorian. Anything could happen in a war and one of those things was for the New Mandalorians to lose the war. Qui-Gon quickly shook that thought away, reminding himself to think in the present and not look into a future that was always on the move. Everyone in the room was waiting for the duchess to speak.

_ "It might be a good possibility to consider. _ " she replied.

_ "It may be a good plan." _ Ujijurt commented passing her hand over her chin then she gave Ben a look and continued. " _ Kalevala will not be an easy target. _ _ I doubt they would dare attack Kalevala if they were smart enough." _

_ "And we wouldn't leave the system." _ Bruk declared looking at the duchess, a look that did not exactly go unnoticed by anyone in the room.

Again silence in the room. It seemed that everyone had come to the same conclusion but only one person could make that decision. The young woman was clouded, Qui-Gon could tell, but there was also a change in the girl. I didn't know if it was determination or fear, maybe both. This mission had become something more particular than the main objective.

" _ Duchess? _ " Bruk spoke.

" _ Yes, it can work _ ." Finally, she answered.

" _ Ujijurt tsikador ship you to escort you duchess sa Nusujii sa ret'yc." _ said Bruk, who had some effect on Satine, speaking in the language of Mandalore.

Ujijurt nodded at the order and ran out of the constant movement of the room. Qui-Gon was beginning to understand why strength gave him those connotations at the beginning of the mission. A young woman placed to lead a town which she has not seen for years. The waters of Mandalore were muddy. Would Satine be able to calm them down? Only this journey would unveil him and Qui-Gon was going to be the one to witness it firsthand. A change towards a better future. Although he should check with the council on the status of his mission now that Mandalore's policy has changed. He wrapped his hands in his robe, a small disturbance interrupting the sound in the room. Qui-Gon looked for the culprit of that turbulence, it was like a distortion in the middle of a harmonic melody, an unstable element that needed to come out as it were and at any moment it would explode leaving nothing but death in its path.

The door opened and closed from one moment to the next, leaving the duchess's place uninhabited. indeed, young Kryze was to blame for that turbulence. Qui-Gon pushed his way by looking at Knight Ben.

_ "Stay here, I'll take care of dealing with the Duchess."  _ Qui-Gon said, immediately leaving the room.

" _ Uh ... okay? _ " Obi-Wan wondered if He had the feeling that he had been dragged into something much larger than it appeared.

The words Qui-Gon had spoken were repeating in his head. Giving him orders as if he had the right after leaving him in Bandomeer. He seemed to ignore the complete fact of the sentence he had punished Obi-Wan to be useless his entire life, to plant and revive life. He had condemned him to live isolated on a planet, he had overthrown his dreams and now he was treating him as a second-rate being as if he were above him for having managed to be a Jedi. Again the blame fell on Qui-Gon. It seemed to be the nemesis that the force dragged him over and over again. Perhaps Qui-Gon had the mission to destroy everything that mattered to him, that's why he was in Mandalore, to destroy the taste that he had found in his work.

" _ Jettise _ ." Bruk called him out of his resentments.  _ "Come with me." _

The Mandalorian ordered him. Obi-Wan could not refuse, there was something about those Mandalorians that gave them strength, determination, sure of everything they did and made them terrifying for Kenobi, they were the opposite of what he had never known. In Bandomeer there were people like him but most of them only pretended but Bruk, Satine, Ujijurt ... they were.

He followed Bruk through the corridors of the palace, he was talking about the planet they had mentioned before, but that was not Obi-Wan's mission. It was incredible how different Mandalore was from Bandomeer, while Bandomeer was the victim of poverty and mining competition, Mandalore was like a small refuge in a practically deserted place. A moment of peace Obi-Wan was able to connect with the force in a flash of a second. The place was completely deserted, there was no life, the entire planet was littered with the remains of death. A doomed planet, like Bandomeer.

_ "Are you listening to me Jettise?" _ The Mandalorian raised his voice scaring Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan nodded to the Mandalorian, he had no idea what he was talking about. " _ I didn't know that Jedi were mute." _

They had reached a small area, which Obi-Wan assumed was a dining room, it was a long space with a table in the middle of the place, on one side they had a kind of fireplace, and on the other, the right, it was occupied by a dining area. bar, as there used to be in Bandomeer's cantinas.

" _ No, I'm not mute, _ " Obi-Wan said,  _ "I ... I'm just quiet." _

_ "Quiet? We Mandalorians don't like that." _ Bruk replied, going behind the bar. " _ It makes you look dispassionate. We don't like people who don't fight for what they want, like, well the Jedi." _

The man brought out two small glasses, pouring out a bit of a faint colored liquid. The drink wasn't something Obi-Wan had dared to try. He didn't like changes, they only led to worse things, he also knew about the possible consequences and it was not something he needed in his life. Certainly, his life was already a constant malaise.

" _ We just follow the code." _ Obi-Wan approached the young man a little fearful of what he might do. 

" _ I'll be honest Jettise, I don't like you. You're here because the only ones who could stop the Mandalorians were the Jedi." _ The young man offered him the other glass.  _ "And now things have changed." _

Obi-Wan looked at the small glass, he could smell the alcohol coming out of the liquid from meters away. He didn't intend to drink this poison of his own free will. He wrinkled his nose at the smell and looked somewhat frightened at the Mandalorian, pushing the shot of alcohol aside.

" _ Look at you, scared of your own allies." _ Bruk continued to press. " _ You're just a kid playing at being a protector." _

_ "N-No. _ " Obi-wan missed it. He was getting tired of people underestimating him. Especially Bruk, it was starting to get very irritating.

_ "I want you to know that what you are protecting is great for a beginner." _ Bruk continued pressing Obi-Wan's patience.  _ "I don't mean to scare you, I just want you to know that if something happens to Satine, you will be the one to pay for it. If the rebels don't catch you first. I'm going to hunt you down, find you, and cut that pretty face of yours until no one can recognize you." _

The Mandalorian grabbed Obi-Wan's shot and he slammed it on the table in front of him.

" _ It is rude not to accept a drink." _ The Mandalorian replied, taking his own glass and spilling it in his throat as if it were a daily habit for him.

Obi-Wan took the shot imitated the man in front of him. His throat caught on fire all down burning while the drink went down taking his breath away. Looking for a place of support, he dropped onto the counter, holding the ends while he recovered his air, he didn't know if he had stopped breathing because of the Mandalorian or because of the liquid.

_ "I thought that the Jedi were tougher, apparently, the stories aren't as true as they seem." _ Bruk ended by saying passing by Obi-Wan." _ You look  _ like  _ a coward. You've been defeated by a little drink. " _

" _ Still ... we won the war." _ Obi-Wan said, coughing a little and raspingly hoping this would shut up the Mandalorian.

He began to react and straighten his posture until he found Bruk's eyes staring at him, indifferent. It seemed that she had finally managed to hurt her pride to the level that he had been doing to her.

" _ Cabuor kaysh, ti gar oyay."  _ Bruk placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. " _ Protect her, protect her with your life." _

Almost forcibly Bruk took Obi-Wan's hand in a tight grip, sealing an unspoken promise. Kenobi's eyes met Bruk's, he expected to meet an aggressive, invasive gaze, but what he found were the eyes of someone asking for a glimmer of hope.

" _ I will" _ Obi-Wan said encouraged by Bruk's sincere gaze.

_ "Good." _ The warrior looked at a light turned on in one of the devices on his wrist."  _ We are waiting for you in the same hangar from which you have come. _ _ Jate jate'kara jetiise." _

Obi-Wan's chest felt much lighter when he saw the Mandalorian disappear through the door. Because that boy had turned to him, he was only here for the plants and he would leave when the council realized that he was in the middle of all this mess. However, he had made this promise to a stranger, now he was involved from head to toe in this war. He had to get out of there anyway, run away, his kata weren't good enough to fight. He started walking to the exit, undoing the path he had made. A stranger who now trusted him in some way. He had read that Mandalorians were private people but he hadn't expected them to be so ... invasive. His heart sank again when Bruk threw open the door.

" _ Are you coming or will you stay here? _ " The young man told him.

_ "I'm coming _ " Obi-Wan hurried.

Walking next to the warrior who greeted the people who passed by, he was someone loved and respected, something that Kenobi had never known. Bruk approached, putting his arm around the Jedi's shoulders.

" _ Remember our conversation, the life of Mandalore is in your hands. Prove you are a Jedi warrior. I know how much you want to shut up my big mouth. _ " He finished saying leaving him finally free.

He kept walking somewhat nervous. He felt sweat all over his body from the last moments he had spent with the Mandalorian. Qui-Gon appeared in his field of vision, perhaps it was better to stay with Bruk after all. Qui-Gon was next to the duchess, a hand on the young woman's shoulder, it made him feel uncomfortable, almost as if he was mentoring the girl, even mentoring her. Maybe it was just him, his personality, he wasn't made to be a Jedi.

_ "It seems you've made friends." _ Qui-Gon told him as he stood next to the boy.

" _ Yes, I guess...in some way. _ " he said with a formal tone, he wouldn't let Qui-Gon gloat over his weaknesses.

" _ The council has said that the mission continues, we will go to Kalevala and protect the duchess _ " Qui-Gon said.

" _ But, we shouldn't get into Mandalore politics, just be on the planet, those were the orders. _ " Obi-Wan spoke.

" _ Well, the orders have changed _ ," Qui-Gon said. " _ We're not getting into a war boy, we just have to protect the Duchess." _

Obi-Wan felt a hand on her shoulder, resisting the urge to remove Qui-Gon's hand from her shoulder. If she treated him casually, maybe that way he would stop trying to make him feel so small and powerless.

" _ Knight Que- Kenobi right?" _ Qui-Gon pronounced his last name as Ben had corrected. Obi-Wan nodded. " _ I think we haven't had the pleasure of meeting before." _

" _ Yes, we have met before _ ." Obi-Wan blurted out, so that was it, not that he thought he was better than him but that he just hadn't even bothered to know who he was.

_ "When was that? I don't recall finding someone like you.  _ ”Qui-Gon pressed.

" _ You're right, no one remembers me, you don't need to remember me either." _ Ben inquired as if he were trying to open a closed wound.  _ "I tend to be reserved." _

Qui-Gon looked at him, folding his arms across his chest. Who was this boy?

_ "I hope you're up to the challenge of this mission before on the ship I saw you somewhat doubtful of your abilities _ ." Qui-gon tried to press for information.

_ "I had unusual training, Master Jinn." _ Ben replied.

Deep down Obi-Wan was not lying, he had had training, from his point of view. Perhaps he had not learned through a great and well-known teacher but he had absorbed the knowledge that had been presented to him, no matter how simple they were. He straightened up placing his hands behind his back.

" _ We all had one, didn't we? _ " Qui-Gon said as if he were making a joke, something that Obi-Wan didn't quite understand.

Obi-Wan drew a small smile. Looking at everything in perspective, Qui-Gon might laugh at him but this was his chance, all his life he had sought to be a hero, save lives, and now this was his chance. It would show Qui-Gon that he was wrong when he chose to abandon him, he was more than qualified to even win this war.

Obi-Wan saw the Duchess say goodbye to her associates, in these calm moments the force reached Obi-Wan. Although it was not the typical living force that he had become used to feeling over the years. This force, it was cold, it was like an ancient memory. The old memory of waking up and realizing he was alone, like an empty shell. He fought back the tears that threatened to come out, calming his mind, and took a deep breath. In and out, he took that thread of strength and released its energy, a torrent of warm energy. He was not alone, the force had given him more companions than Obi-Wan could count. He was not alone, no one there was alone, not even Bruk. He looked at the duchess, her position was upright, walking proudly towards the ship. There was a slight change in those crystalline eyes.

Qui-Gon strayed from the duchess's path. She got into the transport first, followed by Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. In her hands, the Duchess held those white, flowering lilies. They wouldn't last much more, they would die at her hands, but she didn't care. The only thing she had on her mind was to keep them as close as she could while she could.

" _ Do you want to pilot _ ?" Qui-Gon said looking at Ben.

_ "Pilot?" _ Ben looked at the other jedi, it wasn't a joke.  _ "F-flying is for droids." _

_ "I see you don't like flying." _ The older man replied. Obi-Wan just nodded, not at all because he didn't remember how to fly. There were so many opportunities that Bandomeer had taken from him ...

He escorted Qui-Gon to the cockpit. The older one took up the position of the pilot. The ship began to rise as the engines roared to life.

_ "You should stay with the duchess. It may be that there is some surprise that we don't know _ ." Qui-Gon finished ordering him, again.

_ "I'll go."  _ He couldn't say he was happy with Qui-Gon giving him orders. If they were going to be together in this they should consider themselves equal. Obi-Wan walked in search of the Duchess, determined, he would stand up to Qui-Gon, prove he was good enough to lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O O F, I'm sorry that it's 1.000 words less. And the dealy.  
> My brother got hospitalized and I haven't had time to write. I'm so sorry. But I hope In Monday I'll drop a big chapter.   
> And I'm just saying many, many things will happen.  
> BTW - You can follow me on Tumblr as SweetButterySpaceJesus


	6. Flames of hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning  
> Teens with hormones ahead (It's not explicit but just in case)

Satine was in one of the compartments. Her wall stuck to one of the metal walls of the ship trying not to crumble while holding those 4 white lilies, pale, deadly. Kalevala was returning to her birthplace. The last time she was there her mother held her hand as she accompanied her to the ship that would take them to Sundari. The memories were too heavy at the moment to think about. Satine felt a pressure on her shoulders, she let it drag her to sit on the floor of the ship. The lilies clutched tightly on her chest.

She didn't know how to get through those feelings when they were so strong and so real. Now she was alone and her father had not prepared her for these walls that told her to surrender. But at the same time, she had ropes that forced her to move forward over and over again by hitting against those walls. Disappearing wasn't an option was too exposed, it was too important if she fell the whole fight too. On her shoulders, she weighted being the duchess now. But since a leader could lead through the darkness, she had the uncertainty that in that darkness she was leading her allies into a ravine, condemning them. But she was Mandalorian, she must move on, she was not a coward, she was strong beyond what they knew, they could physically break her but they could never break her ideals. And when this whole thing was over there would be a light in the darkness, a future she would cling to. It was something that comforted her, knowing that there would be a future despite this darkness. Crying was not allowed, is what the Mandalorians always taught her, crying makes you weak and in the middle of a fight there was no time to cry.

That was the only way to move on without falling apart. She took a few seconds, taking a deep breath and retrieving the pieces she had left in her thoughts. Regain control of your emotions and put on your Duchess of Mandalore mask.

The compartment door opened, startling Satine. A head appeared in the doorway, the mysterious Jedi. His eyes fell on her, but he said nothing. Satine got up from the ground cleaning the suit, somewhat embarrassed, but the boy continued without saying anything, looking away as if he was avoiding looking at her. She wasn't surprised if she saw someone fall apart like that, she would feel sorry too.

" _ What do you want, Jettise." _ she said in an aggressive tone. He didn't need the cheap compassion of a person who didn't care about Mandalore.

" _ Uh, Qui-Gon asked me to check on you." _ Ben said, looking away from her.

_ "I'm fine, thank you, now leave me alone. _ " As expected, the boy ran away from the place.

Ever since his name had appeared, Satine had known from the beginning that he was going to be an insufferable person. He didn't show up first until basically, the ship was falling. The memories made Satine shiver. Second, the boy is not even able to show enough respect to look at a person when he talks to them. She had been watching him, almost always standing in the shadows or looking for places where he didn't have to talk to other people. Always feeling above all those people. He believed himself so perfect, so better than her that he even felt sorry for her. He should try dealing with angry Mandalorians, maybe then he would stop feeling so sorry and starting to understand the situation. She felt the tears appearing to her eyes again, but she held them back by holding the lilies to her chest. I should continue to have hope, if there is hope there is a flame which will lighten the way. And that flame right now was her. When she got to Kalevala she would clear her head and look for ideas to stop this absurd war and everything would be fine.

She left the compartment lifting her face, charged with pride showing that she was the leader that everyone expected her to be. She walked down the main aisle of the ship. With a firm even imposing step.

She heard a metallic blow, she turned towards the direction from which the blow came to find the young Jedi with both arms hugging his luggage tightly. The boy quickly avoided eye contact and continued to put on the bag as he looked at the ground as if lost in thought.

If he wanted to play ignoring her she would give him the same game.

She turned quickly in a gesture of indifference. Entering the cockpit and taking the passenger's place, somewhat informal but right now she wanted to get to Kalevala as soon as possible.

_ "How are you feeling, Duchess _ ? " Qui-Gon said giving her a sideways glance.

" _ Wishing to get to Kalevala sooner _ " Satine replied looking as a small sphere began to appear in the distance of space.

_ "We are about to arrive _ ." He assured her understanding of the prescribed question.

_ "Good. _ " Satine said as if she had given her approval. " _ can you remind me why I don't have a Mandalorian escort?" _

_ "The numbers are too low to afford a duchess escort" _ Qui-Gon replied in that thick voice.

Satine had forgotten about that war that had taken everything, her people, and almost his ideals. Again she had to contain her emotions from overflowing. Holding the lilies firmly in her right hand. The silence was broken with Qui-Gon taking over the conversation.

_ "Have you ever been to Kalevala?" _ The Jedi master asked.

_ "Kalevala is my birthplace, the birthplace of my family, and almost all the mandalorian clans,"  _ she explained,  _ "another place that was devastated by war." _

Qui-Gon nodded, a subject he must not touch. There was something she liked in thinking that at least the Jedi Master was trying to learn about Mandalorian history, at least that's what it seemed like. Unlike the other, who seemed to have a certain disgust for the Mandalorians. They were two more different presences, Qui-Gon was wiser, he thought more, he tried to help her and above all, it seemed that he did know how to escort a figure like the manda'lor. To Qui-Gon they were the same. Instead Ben, that boy, couldn't deny that the idea of escaping to another Mandalorian planet was smart, but at the same time it felt like a way to escape the war, she didn't like having to flee from her own home.

The minutes passed and the planet became bigger and bigger, revealing a half-desert planet that still had some green that was struggling to survive.

The ship passed the procedures, Satine spoke in Mandalorian to communicate and guarantee the passage of the transport. She braced herself, rehearsing over and over the words to say in her head, planning her posture to pose as the Duchess of Mandalore before all the Mandalorians who would be there, expecting an exaggerated reception, a show of power. Both Jedi moved to her sides as they watched the ship's platform descend. Powerful rays of sunlight penetrated the darkness.

There was no squad, there were no speeders, there were no soldiers in front of the great palace that had once been her own home. Only two figures against the sun. They approached the ship, two Mandalorians, removing their helmets, revealing their hair of orange tones, the colors of their father's eyes, and the other those of their mother. Satine's heart sank and then she was completely released when she saw who was in front of her.

She ran to hug her brothers.

" _ I thought you were dead. _ " she whispered to them.

Her older brother placed his hand on her back, welcoming her. She felt safe in those arms, she could finally breathe, she finally had a light, the fire that nourished hope on this dark path.

" _ We better get in. _ " Bo, her sister, spoke.

The Jedi closely followed the Duchess and her family into the new base of the "New Mandalorians" as they called themselves.

They were taken to a large room to see how the duchess was reunited with her relatives. Qui-Gon put a hand to his beard for a moment, then tucked it back into his robes.

" _ Stay alert, there's something uncanny about this place _ ." Qui-Gon told the young Jedi.

" _ What do you mean? _ " Obi-Wan replied.

" _ You don't feel it? _ " Qui-Gon glanced at Obi-Wan. A strange glimpse of judging.

" _ Feel what? _ " Obi-Wan tried to sound serious despite how comical the situation was. " _ Maybe your senses are betraying you. _ "

Qui-Gon didn't respond to Obi-Wan's little teasing. He took that as a point for himself.

_ "Still, keep an eye on the Duchess, I'll go check the surroundings. _ " Qui-Gon proved Obi-Wan wrong.

The young man watched the Jedi master walk away and placed his eyes on the duchess's back. He walked alongside his fellow Mandalorians. It seemed they had a bond somehow. He walked disconnecting from the world and touching the force with the tips of his fingers. His mind was flooded with the living things, the small surrounding bushes, and the plants that were there. Everything seemed to be in order, but there it was again that empty feeling of death. This planet was exactly like Bandomeer or Mandalore, deserted, dead. Hopeless and all living things there emanated the same energy from injured animals. It was like a small static sound in his head, it was starting to be annoying that the force only gave you headaches.

  
He placed his eyes on the duchess's back again, it was a brilliant presence, it reminded him of how he had seen her before receiving those lilies. He remembered well having studied this, the meaning of flowers. The lilies, no, the white lilies. White lilies were commonly sent or delivered to express good intentions and best wishes to another person. They symbolized purity and innocence.

It was something strange to see that the Duchess of Mandalore had white lilies in her hands, especially since according to what he had read Mandalore was a society used to violence, and honestly after the encounters Obi-Wan had had with them, he could tell that it was completely true.

He had lost track of where they were being led at this point he was just following the group of armed Mandalorians. They stopped at a door, quite large, maybe a couple of meters, the material was some kind of wood. The conversation had disappeared between the warriors. He hoped they hadn't asked her something because she was lost in thought.

Both Mandalorians took off their helmet, he had seen them from afar, now he had a closer view, intimidating shoulders, both in a square position, the helmet was placed on their right arm holding it against their body. It was then that the women turned to Obi-Wan giving him a look with olive eyes.

They had the same message as Bruk, the same violence on the spot letting a shiver flow through his spine when he saw her set her eyes on him. His hand almost instinctively reaching for her lightsaber. The Mandalorians were scary.

_ "Stay here. _ " She said for the first time to obi-wan.

" _ Eh, I don't think I should." _ Obi-wan tried to say as confidently as possible.

" _ Look ..." _ She advanced towards him but was stopped by the other Mandalorian.

" _ Let it be Bo, is here to protect Satine. She may not be witnessing this but you have to respect her work protecting the new Manda'lor. _ ”The man spoke, having an immediate effect on the woman.

The atmosphere seemed to calm down among everyone present. They opened the door, revealing gardens with bushes making a path and in the background a tree. They walked solemnly across the sandy ground.

Obi-Wan noticed the different plants in the place. He could differentiate between the different states of the garden, despite wanting to look like real and neat bushy passages the garden had grown of its own accord and in a completely wild state.

They stopped in front of the tree. It was then that the Duchess spoke in a language, Mando'a, he had read about it but had not had the time to learn any of the words.

The duchess knelt, leaving the lilies on the tree.

It was kind of weird. He felt like he shouldn't be seeing this. She had made it clear to him before that this must be a type of Mandalorian tradition which was very important. He knew that the Mandalorians were people with traditions in their hearts. He saw the other two people place their hands on the duchess's shoulders.

What kind of tradition was that, to leave innocence in a growing tree? It was perhaps a type of advertisement for someone who went from child to adult. It was a rare way to celebrate coming of age. He tried to find some other meaning, purity, get rid of it. Maybe they were talking about a first fight or murder. No, it couldn't be, he had been with the Duchess all this time, the Jedi wouldn't protect a murderer and they wouldn't let a murder happen before their eyes. Speaking of leaving purity or ceasing to be pure, perhaps that was a euphemism for virginity?

Obi-Wan pushed the disgusting thought aside, he hadn't expected his hormones to jump suddenly. He thought his adolescence had passed that phase. His gaze stayed on the ground. Completely embarrassed by what had just crossed his mind. Because of course, his hormones couldn't stay still and no matter how much he tried to get rid of the thought, it always came back and accompanied by images. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a breath. He hoped he could forget about that disgusting image.

He raised his head, but his whole body fired up in pain, he had fallen to the ground, but he was not sure what had happened. There was sand floating in the air, soldiers on either side, running, blending between allies and enemies. There was too much sound, he had lost sight of the tree, he had flown away, he was no longer standing, there was a ringing in his ears leaving him unable to think, there was chaos, blood, everything was confusing. He was in the middle of the war. He tried to call the force but it was screaming. He covered his ears trying to stop it, he had to protect himself, not attract attention, he tried to shrink as best he could. Everything would pass and return to normal.

A hand grabbed his chest, pulling him to his feet. It was a masked Mandalorian felt the end of the blaster dig into his stomach, the force had a cruel destiny, a cruel end, and a cruel sense of humor.

He closed his eyes, hoping that the end would only last a few seconds, that it would be quick and painless.

But the man collapsed on top of him suddenly. Obi-Wan pushed the body away and stood up as best he could. In front of him one of the Mandalorians had appeared, the woman.

_ "Take the Duchess, take her to the palace, and get her out of here." _ She commanded.  _ "Quick!" _

Obi-Wan took Satine by the arm and ran for his life in the direction of the door they had passed through earlier. Where countless soldiers left there heading towards their death.

" _ Bo _ !" The Duchess yelled trying to get out of Kenobi's grip.

She got ahead of Obi-Wan and stepped in front of him.

" _ We can't leave them there!"  _ She commanded him with an intense look.

_ "Are you crazy? If we go there they will tear us to pieces."" _ Obi-Wan yelled back to take the Duchess's arm before his hands began to shake.

"How dare you to force me to abandon my people!" She yelled back atagain hi

" _ I'm not forcing you to abandon your people! I'm saying your people are running to their deaths.  _ ”He said as he forced the Duchess to move by pulling her as he walked towards the door.

" _ I thought you Jedi were noble people! _ " She tried to make an excuse as if she couldn't lose those people.

He let her go. There was no way to convince her, he turned to start running but froze. The force screamed louder, stunning him. He placed his hands on his ears, how he was supposed to think in this condition? He felt like a kid running through a minefield. If she wanted to die why should he follow her? People do questionable things amid the fire of war.

" _ Our mission is to keep you safe." _ He placed his hands on the duchess's shoulders. " _ So we have to get out of here." _

In her face, the features seemed to fade, yes, perhaps he had managed to make her reason. But suddenly she made a movement with her shoulders pushing Obi-Wan's hands away and ran undoing all the way they had made.

Obi-Wan clenched his fists feeling another rush of adrenaline rushing through his veins and uncomfortable pressure in his heart at his decision. He started running after the Duchess. His feet stopped in front of a large crater, where before the tree and the white lilies had completely disappeared.

He looked from one side to the other. Such was the chaos that no one detected his presence, so quickly a soldier fell another took his place and avenged the death of his companion. There was no one to win, but enemy pressure was beginning to tire the Allied soldiers.

" _ Duchess _ !" Obi-Wan yelled at the top of his lungs.

" _ Jetti _ !" The Mandalorian woman yelled at him, taking his tunic and pushing him towards the Duchess.  _ "I thought she told you to take her away from here!" _

Obi-Wan continued with his mission, he took the Duchess, she was sitting there, he didn't give much importance what she was holding in her arms, he took her in his and carried her without looking back across the battlefield asking for the force give him enough courage to get to safety.

They entered the base, bodies on the ground, dead, alive, and wounded, all in the same place without distinction. She left the Duchess on the ground, she could hardly hold herself, she looked pale, in shock. And he placed his hands on her shoulders shaking her a little to get her attention.

_ "Duchess! React, I need you to tell me somewhere to hide.  _ ”Ben woke her up.

She took Ben's hand this time leading him through the palace, down the stairs, just as she remembered as a child to the little bunker they had built so long ago, down into the catacombs, with poor lighting. In the dark again. When she saw her siblings, she thought that she had found a flame of hope, but she didn't remember that where there is a flame there is someone who is predestined to burn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here I am back.  
> I hope you like the chapter, I have started to introduce some themes that will be repeated while writing the fanfic, I have not yet decided how many chapters it will have but I suppose that shall be seen.  
> I was hearing Stay alive while writing this lol 
> 
> As always Kudos and comments are appreciated.  
> I can't believe this story already has 67 Kudos.  
> Thank you very much <3


	7. The middle of the battle

Qui-Gon had felt that disturbance in the force, a blow, that is what made war, disturbed the peace, and turned the mantle of force into an opaque wall. Luckily for the Jedi Master, it was not the first time that he had to deal with such a feeling. He could keep his mind focused while he analyzed the situation.

It had all started with a direct attack on the duchess's position, a bombardment. Bombings that had been going on for an irregular time, completely spontaneous. The forces of the new Mandalorians had been pushed into the palace. He decided to put his trust in Ben. He should only contact the Jedi once he had found a ship with which to escape from the place. It was a matter of time before they ambushed the new Mandalorians and they succumbed to the battle in the palace. He was in one of the passageways, running in search of Ben and the Duchess. The first instinct of a healthy person would be to seek a hangar, an exit, or a shelter. He hoped he could catch up with them before they chose any of the alternatives. In the midst of the chaos he could make out a figure, Qui-Gon ignited his saber doing some defensive kata as he entered the heart of the battle.

The terrain was uneven as a result of the explosions that had warped the terrain like paper, stubbornly tearing and crumpling it. The soldiers ran from one side to the other, only the colors of the blasters in the surroundings and the occasional brutal hand-to-hand combat could be distinguished only sometimes. He continued to block the blasters for any sign of the duchess and her escort. At the same time he concentrated his thoughts, he forced himself open expecting to find the presence of his partner, some sign that they were alright.   
He was greeted by a cold direct welcome, empty. It was rather disturbing that the force was closed in that way and Qui-Gon wasn't strong enough to detect all the presences around him, he couldn't track them. The death and darkness of the acts were so extreme that it didn't take a great connection to notice how the force took pity on these actions. He was in an empty connection, an unfinished road. He asked but there was no answer, the force had closed to him. A Jedi without his greatest ally in the middle of a war, he couldn't think of a worse situation for himself.

  
Normally he would let the force immerse him and go into a trance to protect himself while they regrouped, but in this status, he would have to draw on all his experience to be able to get out of it. The danger wasn't exactly what he was concerned about, but from the rare way the force treated this mission. It wasn't a disturbance. It was like it was deformed in front of people or something. In the heat of battle, this was no time to meditate. Two blaster beams slammed into Qui-Gon's lightsaber. With both hands securing the weapon, Qui-Gon moved his wrist from side to side mechanically bouncing them off the ground.

" _ Jedi!" _ A fierce female voice yelled from behind him. The young Mandalorian flew to stand beside him, shooting at the other enemy soldiers.  _ "I thought you would be helping the Duchess." _

" _ I'm afraid we've been separated for a few moments _ ," Qui-Gon said returning more shots after they had placed him as the central target of his blasters.

" _ He must have found a way to the hangar, find something with which you can get away from this disaster, or prepare to fight." _ She said completely dominating the field.

_ "My duty is to make the Duchess safe. _ " He stated with all the calm that could be had in this situation. He wouldn't be another soldier.

_ "Then go find her. Quick!" _ The girl commanded, he had the feeling she was tired of dealing with Jedi, or so it seemed.

The girl jumped towards the opponents who had presented themselves, Qui-Gon finished dodging a couple of blaster bolts and quickly sheathed his sword to start running towards the castle. He runs across the passage to the end, the ships were still there, various transports but mainly there were individual ships and the ship with which they had arrived. Yet there was no sign of any more signs of life. It seemed there would be no problem escaping, which left Qui-gon with the other unknown, where the Duchess was. Qui-Gon once again scanned the perimeter, looking for something that might help him find his protégé. He boarded the ship looking for any sign of either of them, but there was nothing but a grunt. Qui-Gon turned in the direction of the growl to meet an angry brunette Tooka.

_ "She has come to seek refuge from war _ " Qui-gon deduced adding another list of pathetic little life forms that had embarked on this journey. He put his hand on his beard, turning his back to the Tooka, shrugging it off. 

A movement that the Tooka didn't enjoy as she made it to climb onto Qui-Gon's shoulder for attention. Qui-Gon however was very far from that ship, he closed his eyes again, trying to find the presence of his partner in the force. Even though young Ben gave him a rare sense of confidence, he had a feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, one that they needed help, as if the war was nothing compared to what they were facing. A monster that would tear them apart from the inside until there was nothing left of what they were.

-

  
When a human being goes into stress he resorts to finding his old habits as protection. Just as when humans see danger their body generates adrenaline to run, Satine remembered perfectly the corners of a palace that she abandoned long ago. Her heart bounced in her head as if she had run for hours. They had descended one of the stairs that led to the basement, they had descended to a level that not even the heat of the desert planet could pass through, apart much older and lacking in any technology that she remembered.

The stairs had left them in a dark passageway with barely functional lights half off but with enough light to see where they were going. The passageway was wide and had some sections Satine never thought to explore when she was a kid. She stood on one of the walls, running her fingers through the dirt and dust of the stones that made up the passage. That place was like a humidity farm, you could feel the contrast between the crushing, hot, exterior, and the frozen interior of the hideout digging into your bones. Satine pushed a very loose stone and the death gave way, opening a small gap between the wall, enough for an adult person to crawl between them.

_ "This way Jetti. _ " She said looking at Ben for the first time all the way.

" _ Ah, at least no one will want to enter here. _ " He said.

She moved her body to the small room where they could hide long enough and closed after Ben followed her. There was silence, Satine fixed her eyes on the ground, tried to inject air into her lungs, nothing seemed to release her from the pressure on her chest. Her legs could no longer hold all this weight and she dropped her body, hugging her legs for a moment. She couldn't forget, in her mind repeating the scene. Her brother was fighting, she was coming back for him, she didn't want to leave him alone, not when they had met again after so long. She deserved at least to keep one person in her life who really understood her. On Coruscant, maybe, that wouldn't have happened that way, but Mandalore can be wild at times, taking away everything you fight for. She saw green collide against the chest of her armor, blue and gray, like the colors of her clan. But the beskar endured and her brother rose to fight more fiercely. Firing with traditional weapons until they had their opponent in their forehead, they began a physical fight. Fist after fist, young Kryze swiftly dodged the other soldier's attacks. At any moment he would have victory in his hands, it was only a matter of time. That was when he felt the cold barrel of a blaster at his temple.  _ "You are the traitor who has killed my companion _ " the soldier shouted  _ "I will do the same with your duchess's dog _ " with a despicable tone the blaster was marked on his cheek. His brother turned, and the following happened too quickly for Satine to process. But what she did know was that there was blood on her hands: the blood of her brother.

_ "Nu kyr'adyc shi taab'echaaj'la." _ She whispered, Y _ ou have not left, you are simply marching _ . "i su'cuyi, gar kyr'adyc ... ni partayli ... gar darasuum"  _ I'm still alive but you are dead, so I will remember you to be eternal.  _ ”Her voice seemed to crack in her throat, her vocal cords too tight to finish the traditional Mandalorian funeral phrase.

She kept the tears at bay by squeezing her eyes tightly, since that projectile exploded in the middle of the ceremony the air had become thicker and loaded. Sometimes trying to breathe was difficult. As complicated as thinking, thinking that your decisions condition and that there are consequences although sometimes it was not you who suffered them. She wanted to stop, stop time, and be able to think about her own step but for now, she wanted to think of this situation as a truly ironic situation. Because the last asset she had before falling apart was humor. She was locked up with a Jedi, rather a hideous Jedi. She looked up looking at how the young man was checking her bag. Looking frantically, for the first time the Jedi seemed nervous. He brought his hand to a kind of lock that held his hair, placing it between his fingers.

" _ Aren't you going to tell me you lost your lightsaber? _ " She answered, obviously in a desperate way.

  
" _Uh_?" The young Jedi took his gaze to his belt placing his hand on his weapon. Then he looked up, making contact with her for a moment, but quickly looked away at the stone wall.

_ "Are you going to explain your great plan to me or do you just want us to hide until we starve? _ " She attacked again when she saw that her previous attempt had not been successful.

" _ Yes ... as for that ..." _ She saw how he took his hand to that hair again.

" _ So you don't have any plan. Is the Jedi Order really in such decline that they put kids like you on serious missions? _ " She said as if she had years of experience.

_ "Well ... what is the plan that you propose?" T _ he puja seemed to have effect. " _ Return to the battlefield? She had read that Mandalorians were warriors, not suicide. _ "

_ "I didn't know Jedi could be so disrespectful and stupid. _ " She fought back, hitting a nerve.

_ "You call me stupid but it was you who threw yourself directly into the center of that chaos. No wonder you need protection, you really like getting into danger. Are you sure you are a pacifist?" _

Satine wasn't going to let those accusations go unpunished, not when her whole world was falling apart. She got up almost immediately upon hearing her words.

_ "You shouldn't speak of pacifism when what characterizes Jedi is a weapon." _ She countered, keeping her anger at bay.

_ " I fight for life. _ " He got up, meeting Satine's gaze for the first time in the conversation.  _ "I can't wait for the council to reassign me to another place where at least there are people who thank me for saving their life." _

_ "Oh, are you sure you're a Jedi? You are the most irritating person I have ever met, you have fewer manners than a gundak and you go around believing yourself superior when you are just a kid with a lightsaber trying. Who? Do what Qui-Gon tells you? You are not even capable of making a single meaningful decision. You convince me more and more that you have an empty head and now we are hiding here without any plan, without any help. We are alone, I am alone. While our allies die in my name. So I do care for my people like the Duchess of Mandalore that I am.” _ She unloaded everything she had held within her during this day, her shoulders relaxed a bit as she saw that she had left the Jedi without an answer.

_ "A true leader would have prevented this slaughter. _ " He stabbed Satine with one last knife before leaving her for dead. " _ The plan is to leave this place, surely it must have some exit tunnel. Go to take refuge in the dunes while we can go unnoticed. We will wait there for Qui-Gon. We will rest a bit here before we start with the plan." _

Satine didn't say anything. She nodded and sat down again. She could only name her feelings: Defeat. There was nothing left for her, but she had to be strong and push herself through her feelings, it would be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops... yes I'm late   
> I'm so sorry,,, I just started school so my updates will be a little bit irregular but hey. I promise I will finish this fanfic, and it will have a good ending. Well, I will try.  
> It was lovely to have all of you here, see you in the next update ... or not  
> [Evil laugh]
> 
> How always kudos and comments are appreciated.


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